Well, that was a waste of time / effort
Posted: Mon Apr 19, 2010 1:11 pm
Have my "results" from what the doctor called an "angiogram".
It was a CT scan of neck and chest.
Here is the report:
TECHNIQUE: Consent for intravenous contrast was obtained. A helical scan was obtained from the external auditory canal to sternoclavicular joint after the intravenous administration of non-ionic contrast. Axial images are displayed at 5 mm intervals. Multiplanar reformations were generated.
FINDINGS:
NECK: The jugular veins appear patent bilaterally. There are some filling defects within the right mid jugular vein, which is likely related to mixing artifact. No significant stenoses are identified within the jugular veins. The external jugular veins are not well opacified. There is no cervical lymphadenopathy.
CHEST: The azygos vein is not well visualized secondary to timing of contrast and diminutive appearance as it courses along the spine. The distal portion of the azygos vein does not appear stenotic as it empties into the superior vena cava.
There is no mediastinal lymphadenopathy. No gross pulmonary consolidations or effusions are noted. There is a low-attenuation lesion in the right kidney, which is too small to characterize, but may represent a cyst.
1. The visualized portions of the jugular veins appear patent. The external jugular veins are not well opacified.
2. Opacification of the azygos system is suboptimal secondary to timing of contrast which had to be also tailored for visualization of the jugular veins. Additionally, the diminutive size of the azygos vein also limits the evaluation. However, the distal portion of the azygos vein as it joins the superior vena cava
appears nonstenotic and is of normal caliber. If there is clinical concern, a repeat chest CT can be obtained. However, timing of contrast for azygos opacification can be challenging.
So, basically they are telling me -
"Nothing that is OBVIOIUSLY out of order",
"We could not see the external jugulars well",
"We could not see the azygos well",
"There is something that does not appear right with right mid-jugular (filing defects), but oh, it's probably due to the fluctuations of the contrast"
"Everything that we COULD see appears fine"
I also got the CD and in the images there was NOTHING that could be recognized as a specific vein structure. Here is the closest the images got to showing anything.
Conclusion - get your testing with the doctors who at least know what CCSVI is. Do not make my mistake of thinking "scanning is a scanning is a scanning". Not at all.
It was a CT scan of neck and chest.
Here is the report:
TECHNIQUE: Consent for intravenous contrast was obtained. A helical scan was obtained from the external auditory canal to sternoclavicular joint after the intravenous administration of non-ionic contrast. Axial images are displayed at 5 mm intervals. Multiplanar reformations were generated.
FINDINGS:
NECK: The jugular veins appear patent bilaterally. There are some filling defects within the right mid jugular vein, which is likely related to mixing artifact. No significant stenoses are identified within the jugular veins. The external jugular veins are not well opacified. There is no cervical lymphadenopathy.
CHEST: The azygos vein is not well visualized secondary to timing of contrast and diminutive appearance as it courses along the spine. The distal portion of the azygos vein does not appear stenotic as it empties into the superior vena cava.
There is no mediastinal lymphadenopathy. No gross pulmonary consolidations or effusions are noted. There is a low-attenuation lesion in the right kidney, which is too small to characterize, but may represent a cyst.
1. The visualized portions of the jugular veins appear patent. The external jugular veins are not well opacified.
2. Opacification of the azygos system is suboptimal secondary to timing of contrast which had to be also tailored for visualization of the jugular veins. Additionally, the diminutive size of the azygos vein also limits the evaluation. However, the distal portion of the azygos vein as it joins the superior vena cava
appears nonstenotic and is of normal caliber. If there is clinical concern, a repeat chest CT can be obtained. However, timing of contrast for azygos opacification can be challenging.
So, basically they are telling me -
"Nothing that is OBVIOIUSLY out of order",
"We could not see the external jugulars well",
"We could not see the azygos well",
"There is something that does not appear right with right mid-jugular (filing defects), but oh, it's probably due to the fluctuations of the contrast"
"Everything that we COULD see appears fine"
I also got the CD and in the images there was NOTHING that could be recognized as a specific vein structure. Here is the closest the images got to showing anything.
Conclusion - get your testing with the doctors who at least know what CCSVI is. Do not make my mistake of thinking "scanning is a scanning is a scanning". Not at all.