Neck MRI or brain MRI. Which is best for looking for Chiari malformation

[BrittanyElizabeth1124]

Been having a lot of pain in the back of my head and upper neck. The pain used to be every now and then but is becoming more frequent with really bad ear pain, I'm been more forgetful and feel off balance. I had a neck MRI which showed elongated cerebellum and something about T1 and T2. Brain MRI said normal. Anyone have an idea because I'm lost. I'm also only 23 years old if that matters. Help?

[selmaS]

Hi and welcome to the Chiari forum.

Both MRI's are useful in being able to get a full explanation aas to what is going on then more MRI's  like a lumbar and thoracic  and a CINE MRI.....

You can have low lying tonsils but not have Chiari....Chiari is a malformation of the skull....BUT the symptoms are the same....and treatment is the same too.

Find a true Chiari specialist to help guide you to the beat course of treatment for you.

[The_beat_goes_on]

MRI reports are almost always useless.  If you're seeing a neurologist or neurosurgeon that reads the report vs looking at the images ... find a new doctor that will go through the scans with you and answer your questions.