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Can this be MS? My sister also has MS

MRI BRAIN: CLINICAL HISTORY: Migraines/Headache, Muscle weakness, PAIN, Joint pain
  TECHNIQUE:  Sagittal T1, axial FSE T2, axial FLAIR, axial gradient T2 and diffusion-weighted imaging through the brain. COMPARISON:  None. FINDINGS: The pituitary gland is enlarged measuring 11 mm craniocaudal by 11 mm AP. No discrete mass is identified and a dedicated MRI of the pituitary gland is recommended for further characterization. In the subcortical and periventricular white matter are several foci of abnormal T2 signal. These are nonspecific but likely represent early changes of chronic small vessel ischemia. The intracranial structures are otherwise normal without mass, hemorrhage, acute ischemia or extra-axial fluid collection. The midline structures are intact and the ventricles are normal in size. The paranasal sinuses are clear.  The mastoid air cells and orbits are unremarkable. Normal flow-voids are present in the major intracranial vessels and the dural sinuses are patent. The craniocervical junction is unremarkable without evidence of Chiari malformation.  Normal marrow signal is present in the calvarium.

Impression

IMPRESSION:  1. Enlarged pituitary gland measuring 11 mm in diameter. A dedicated MRI of the sella without and with contrast is recommended for further characterization.2. In the subcortical and periventricular white matter are several foci of abnormal T2 signal. These are nonspecific but likely represent early changes of chronic small vessel ischemia.3. Negative for acute intracranial abnormality.
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Avatar universal
Looking for a new neuro since 2 or 3 of our neuro's left since this Obama Care thing happened. The remaining one no longer takes my insurance. I am on the hunt for a new doc after I just had a MRI with and without contrast and am waiting on results.
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1831849 tn?1383228392
Some of what you describe may be MS related, some not so much.

Dizziness (vertigo?) and balance issues are often mentioned as MS symptoms. The migraines and arthritic symptoms are not.

MS attacks an individual nerve site, or many individual nerve sites. Because the attacks are effecting an individual nerve location, the symptoms ten to be related to the information that particular nerve carries. If the nerve that controls movement of your left foot has a lesion, you would likely have issues with your left foot.

MS tends not to cause symptoms that caver your whole body, like the loss of sensation in all of your limbs.

Let us know what your neurologist says.

Kyle
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Avatar universal
I have pain constant chronic, loss of balance, dizziness, chronic migraines, arthritic symptoms, loss of muscle, loss of sensation in my limbs, memory loss along with multiple other issues
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1831849 tn?1383228392
I tend not to read too much into radiologist's reports. They are very difficult to understand and radiologists are not diagnosticians.

I would wait and talk to your neurologist. If he/she just reads the report to you or is in anyway dismissive, the as ess said, fire them.

Kyle
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Avatar universal
Just to add something here--

The areas that are likely to be ischemia are 'non-specific.' That means they could be lots of things, ischemia being the first one the radiologist thought of, but they also could be MS placques, even if atypical ones. They're certainly in prime MS territory.

In my personal experience, and having read this board for over 6 years, radiologists way too often see something odd on a woman's MRI, look at her age, and if it's even remotely possible for the problem to be ischemia then that's what they'll call it. I've even seen this happen in women in their 30s, if the appearance isn't classic for MS. However, if the patient has no history of high blood pressure or other circulation issues, it would be quite unusual, even rare, for the MRI abnormalities to be little blood incidents in the brain.

This is why a really good neurologist is crucial. He or she will do their own interpretation of the MRI, and decide, in conjunction with symptom history, other health issues, other testing, and the all-important thorough neurological exam, what is actually going on with the patient. If a neuro fails to do all this because of laziness or incompetence, and dismisses the patient due to the radiology report, it's time to find a better doctor.

I had that happen to me over and over, till I wised up and found a specialist who reads his own MRIs. I do have MS and not ischemia.

Of course I can't say what's wrong with Nascar, other than a pituitary problem that must be addressed, and I'm hoping she has a good neuro who will investigate all possibilities. I certainly do have a thing about the ischemia dismissal, so from time to time I go into it here on the forum.

ess


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5112396 tn?1378017983
There are some abnormalities on this MRI, but nothing that would point a doctor to MS. Bear in mind, MRIs are not perfect for detecting changes in the brain due to MS, but they're pretty darn good.

Things in an MRI report leaning towards something like MS are terms like 'demyelination' and not 'ischemia'. The ischemia findings can be anything from age-related changes to blood-pressure issues, the point being they have to do with blood-flow and the circulatory system.

Demyelination would have indicated that inflammation in certain characteristic spots in the brain have lead to lesions where the myelin sheath is being damaged. This is the behaviour of MS and is not mentioned on your report.

You have not mentioned your symptoms, but your neurologist is being recommended to have a closer look at your enlarged pituitary gland. This is not something we see mentioned on here very often as a finding on an MRI, but just having a quick look at symptoms that *may* cause, well it makes sense you wound up on an MS board.

Have a word with your neurologist. It may be that you'll be referred to an endocrinologist soon. (Disclaimer: I am not a medical professional. This is a forum of laypeople who like to help.)
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