Help me understand my MRI

This is the place to ask questions if you have symptoms that suggest MS, but aren't yet diagnosed.
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tryingtofigureitout
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Help me understand my MRI

Post by tryingtofigureitout »

Hi-

I am a 27 year old female and below are my symptoms and questions I have. I have been extremely healthy my whole life with almost no health issues or head injuries.

Symptoms
-bad low back pain (with muscle spasms)
-some joint pain (ankles, wrists, hands) - it's not too bad but I just feel somewhat light throbbing
-quick pin prick pain (lasting 1 second at the most) that feels like someone is taking a needle and quickly poking me - or like a quick jab. It's not that painful but quite bothersome.
-slight dizzyness after laying down/not eating for a long period of time (i think this probably normal but figured I'd mention it)

My PCP ordered complete blood work and everything has come back very normal and healthy. I've had a back/neck/brain MRI and below are the radiologist findings from the brain (back/neck came back normal). The neurologist says he can't quite say it's MS yet but he didn't do a great job of explaining it's findings. He ordered another MRI for a months time to see if anything has changed. We have also done a spinal tap (neurologist said not necessary but if we wanted to do it, fine) and below are the findings as well.

Any thoughts or things I can be doing? I don't quite understand the radiologist explanation and would love the forums explanation. I'm seeing the neurologist again in 2 weeks to compare the two MRIs.


BRAIN MRI REPORT

FINDINGS: The ventricles and sulci are within normal limits. There is no midline shift or mass effect. There are no areas of restricted diffusion.

There are several, at least 20, small foci of T2/FLAIR hyperintensity within the primarily the subcortical white matter bilaterally. No lesions are identified within the corpus callosum or in the temporal lobes. There is a T2/FLAIR hyperintense lesion within the left ventral medulla. No other definite posterior fossa lesions are identified. No enhancing lesions are identified.

There are no extra‐axial fluid collections. The expected flow voids major intracranial vascular structures are present.

IMPRESSION: There are several foci of abnormal T2/FLAIR hyperintensity within the supratentorial white matter which alone are nonspecific. However, there is also a lesion within the left ventral medulla. These findings would be compatible with a demyelinating process among other etilogies in the differential.

From the spinal tap everything has come back normal and healthy so far. But we are still waiting to see if there are ogliclonal bands -apparently these take a few more days.

Thank you for your thoughts and help!!
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lyndacarol
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Re: Help me understand my MRI

Post by lyndacarol »

tryingtofigureitout wrote:My PCP ordered complete blood work and everything has come back very normal and healthy.…

Any thoughts or things I can be doing? I don't quite understand the radiologist explanation and would love the forums explanation. I'm seeing the neurologist again in 2 weeks to compare the two MRIs.…

Thank you for your thoughts and help!!
Welcome to ThisIsMS, tryingtofigureitout.

If a vitamin D blood test (the "25-hydroxy vitamin D" test) was not in the "complete blood work" ordered by your PCP, please request one; or request the neurologist you see in 2 weeks to order one for you. (By the way, ask for your own copy of any test results – it is important to have the actual numbers.)

I had the test in January – my result was 24 ng/mL. If you have had this test, I hope you will share your test result numbers with us. The California-based organization, GrassrootsHealth (http://www.GrassrootsHealth.net) is a good source of general vitamin D information.

I have read that experts estimate as many as 95% of the American population is deficient in vitamin D. Vitamin D is required by every cell/every system in the body; a deficiency can affect any system – a deficiency can manifest in neurological symptoms (as well as any other body system).
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NHE
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Re: Help me understand my MRI

Post by NHE »

In addition to vitamin D3, it would also be a good idea to know if your vitamin B12 levels were also checked. This is usually a standard test for an MS differential diagnosis as a B12 deficiency can cause a variety of neurological symptoms including lesions seen on MRI.

Please see the following discussion topic for more information. http://www.thisisms.com/forum/natural-a ... 24857.html
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