This Is MS Multiple Sclerosis Knowledge & Support Community

Hi everyone,


Just found this board and need help. I just got my mri's done. Unfortunately, my doctor won't see it until Monday afternoon. I see a few white spots, and was wondering if this was ms. Could I post a picture of the mri on here, and see if anyone could tell me? If so, how do a put a picture on here?


Thanks

There is no way anyone on here has the expertise to give you a diagnosis even if you were to post a picture of your MRI. I know waiting sucks but it is better to have your doctor read it than someone who is only making an educated guess. Welcome to TIMS and if you have any other questions or just need to vent this is the place!

scott54321 wrote:Could I post a picture of the mri on here, and see if anyone could tell me? If so, how do a put a picture on here?

I agree with what Scorpion said, most of us are not doctors and you really need your doctor to evaluate the images and report.

However, if you ever do wish to post a photo to the forums, then these posts in the Forums FAQ thread will be helpful.

How do I post a picture to the forum?

Posting Pictures, Part 2: Image Hosting Sites


NHE

Here it is. I'm really scared.

Hi Scott and welcome. Wow what a healthy looking brain compared to mine! I have no idea what those two little spots mean, but check out this link to MY brain MRIs.

http://www.thisisms.com/forum/general-d ... 16335.html

My brain is jammed full of classic MS-type lesions - some really big - and yours is not. My neuros have always said that lesions can mean anything. It will take an expert to evaluate your MRIs along with your symptoms. Many things are much more treatable than MS and the brain is very 'plastic' and adaptable.

Please don't panic, and please let us know how things go at your appointment. Even with all that garbage cluttering my brain I still work full time and do okay. Good luck to you!

Thanks guys. Still waiting to hear from the doctor. With all the symptoms of extreme leg weakness, loss of balance, lack of coordination, can't concentrate, bad short term memory, and depression, I'm very worried. About fourteen years ago I had the spinal tap done. The results were negative for MS, but it said insufficient something. I didn't know if that meant that the sample they took was insufficient for the results, or the specimen was insufficient for ms. The doctor said I didn't have it, so I guess it was the latter. The waiting is the hardest part......sounds like a song.....

I am NOOOO doctor. But one thing which does catch my eye as being a little different is the location of your two spots. I would of thought that the spots in MS are normally in the other gooey parts, not in these black regions (?ventricles?). Isnt this black area just a mass of CSF (ie fluid not brain tissue)?

Scott,
Do you know if the MRI image you have posted was done with or without gadolinium contrast?

NHE

without

just got the report

That's peculiar she/he didn't request gadolinium-enhanced contrast to be used during your MRI. Did he/she give any reason?

No, should I ask them?

scott54321 wrote:No, should I ask them?

I would simply because:

wikipedia wrote:Once injected, gadolinium-based contrast agents accumulate in abnormal tissues of the brain and body. This accumulation provides a greater contrast between normal and abnormal tissues, allowing doctors to better locate uncommon cell growths and tumors.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gadolinium#Applications

CuriousRobot wrote:

wikipedia wrote:Once injected, gadolinium-based contrast agents accumulate in abnormal tissues of the brain and body. This accumulation provides a greater contrast between normal and abnormal tissues, allowing doctors to better locate uncommon cell growths and tumors.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gadolinium#Applications

Not to disagree, but maybe a refinement:

My neuros both told me that lesions are visible with or without contrast. They do a 2nd scan with gadolinium to identify the active or recent lesions.

Good luck,
Mark

MarkLavelle wrote: Not to disagree, but maybe a refinement:

My neuros both told me that lesions are visible with or without contrast. They do a 2nd scan with gadolinium to identify the active or recent lesions.

Good luck,
Mark

Hi Scott,
I agree with Mark's comment above. My first brain MRI 8 years ago was without contrast, and it still showed so many MS-type lesions in my brain that I got a diagnosis the next day before I even saw my first neuro. The physiatrist said that he and the radiologist agreed they were almost 100% certain I had MS just from the MRIs.

A year later I got a 2nd set of MRIs both with and without contrast, and a 3rd set a year after that. All three of those MRIs showed the same lesions, no change, and the gadolinium has never shown any enhancement. And there was no enhancement in my most recent 2011 MRI either. (I also passed later tests to confirm, like the spinal tap.)

If you click on the link in my previous post (or right here), you can see the MRIs I posted.
http://www.thisisms.com/forum/general-d ... 16335.html

I do agree that it made no sense for them to skip the gadolinium, because if they HAD found lesions, it would have helped evaluate them. Good luck to you on finding some answers and some relief!