MRI results

This is the place to ask questions if you have symptoms that suggest MS, but aren't yet diagnosed.
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Shoutout
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Posts: 2
Joined: Wed Feb 27, 2019 6:27 pm

MRI results

Post by Shoutout »

Hello all.
I would like to share my story, hoping to get a helpful response from the experts here.
I am a 40 year-old male. 3 weeks ago, i started feeling numbness in my right hand which reach my left hand a couple of days later. Then my feet started feeling numb as well, 2-3 days later. I got spooked and went to the ER where they did a CT scan for brain and cervical spine, both came back normal. Reason they did CT scan is that I told them I had bumped my head a week before and suffered what I believe was a minor concussion.
Basically doctors dismissed me and sent me home based on the CT results.
A week later, since symptoms didn't improve, I consulted a neurologist who ordered MRI without contrast for brain and full spine. It came back normal.
He is confused as why I have such symptoms and kept reassuring me that it's nothing serious.
However, I'm finding it hard to sleep at night due to the numbness in hands mostly.

I am now wondering if my MRI should've been with contrast and that perhaps they have missed lesion due to lack of contrast. I am wondering if I should redo the MRI with contrast, or if it would be a waste of time and money.

Or perhaps I have MS while having normal MRI? I am confused and not sure what do. Any help would be very much appreciated.

Thank you.
Shoutout
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Posts: 2
Joined: Wed Feb 27, 2019 6:27 pm

Re: MRI results

Post by Shoutout »

Forgot to add, B12, vitamin D, RF factor, ESR, reactive protein all came back normal.
Snoopy
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Joined: Wed Apr 13, 2016 11:14 am

Re: MRI results

Post by Snoopy »

If your MRI without contrast didn't show any lesions the MRI with contrast will show the same...no lesions. Contrast is only used to see if lesions found on the non-contrast MRI "light up" with contrast which would indicate current inflammation. To ask for contrast when your MRIs were normal will not help you whatsoever and is a waste of money.
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NHE
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Re: MRI results

Post by NHE »

Shoutout wrote: Thu Feb 28, 2019 4:58 am Forgot to add, B12, vitamin D, RF factor, ESR, reactive protein all came back normal.
Welcome to ThisIsMS. "Normal" is often just a statistical derivation of the 95% confidence interval of the population of current test results. As such, you could be +/- 2 standard deviations from the population mean AND still have a "normal" result and not necessarily at a healthy level. Some tests are more problematic than other in this regard, e.g., in particular vitamin B12 and D3. A good healthy B12 result is 500-1000 pg/mL and D3 should be around 50-60 ng/mL. Do you have data for your lab results? If so, then it would be helpful if you're willing to post them.
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