MRI is clear but been having symptoms for months

[Ilovecoffee]

I wanted to know if it is possible to have a clear MRI and still have MS? Could it be something else? I’ve been dealing with symptoms on and off for the past 5 months. (I’ve also had 3 episodes of neurological “attacks” in the past... none of which lasted this long)

Symptoms include:
Dizziness(balance is ok but equilibrium feels off)
Frequent twitching muscles
Back pain that comes and goes. Sometimes the pain goes around to my front.
pain in limbs that come and go.
Tingling tongue.
Waking up to numb arms or legs.
Sharp pains in head, ears and jaw.
Bell’s palsy
I’m sure there were more that I am forgetting.

I’m happy the mri looked normal but frustrated I feel like I’m left to deal with this on my own.

[NHE]

Who read your MRI, GP or MS Neuro?

Have you read the radiologist's report?

Was it with gadolinium contrast?

Was it of just the brain or did it also include the cervical spine?

[Ilovecoffee]

Who read your MRI, GP or MS Neuro?

Have you read the radiologist's report?

Was it with gadolinium contrast?

Was it of just the brain or did it also include the cervical spine?

Neurologist. I didn’t get to read anything, just got told on the phone it was normal and that was it. It was an mri of the brain and cervical spine done without contrast.. I was told lesions would still be seen that way.

[NHE]

Neurologist. I didn’t get to read anything, just got told on the phone it was normal and that was it. It was an mri of the brain and cervical spine done without contrast.. I was told lesions would still be seen that way.

You can always ask your neuro for a copy of the radiologist's report. You'll likely need to look up many of the words used though as it's written for doctors. It's good to at least get a written record of your scans as the data tends to get round-filed after a number of years to make room for new patient's data and becomes no longer accessible.

Yes, an MRI without contrast still shows lesions.

Congrats on not being diagnosed with MS. You might have something that's treatable. What are your doctor's thoughts on the next steps in your diagnosis?

[ElliotB]

"is possible to have a clear MRI and still have MS?"

Yes unfortunately.

[Ilovecoffee]

Thanks, I will definitely ask for a copy of the report. Unfortunately, I won’t be able to speak with the doctor until my follow up appointment in a few months. The person I spoke to on the phone was a secretary which I wasn’t happy about, because I was hoping to speak with the neurologist directly.
Since I’ve been having symptoms on and off for the past decade, I was shocked that my MRI was normal. I thought this would only be possible for people who are new to symptoms. Still hoping that it is not MS.