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Is this a "Lesion" ??Please help
Hi all,
I am desperately seeking ANY outside opinions as to what my True problem may be.
A few weeks ago I obtained copies of my CT and MRI images that were read as "normal" and have researched all I can handle for hours and hours.
I have heard numerous people say that things are missed by Radiologists, and picked up by other doctors, but I can't find anyone who will actually LOOK at my images, only the radiologist reports...so I began looking myself.
Attached is a link to a "slice" of my upper spine, where I think I found what appears to be a lesion from every image of them I can compare it to. Was this missed when my report was done?
Please give me your opinions. Thanks. Link below> copy paste etc..
http://s613.photobucket.com/albums/tt217/3dayspain_photos/?action=view¤t=spots2.jpg
I am desperately seeking ANY outside opinions as to what my True problem may be.
A few weeks ago I obtained copies of my CT and MRI images that were read as "normal" and have researched all I can handle for hours and hours.
I have heard numerous people say that things are missed by Radiologists, and picked up by other doctors, but I can't find anyone who will actually LOOK at my images, only the radiologist reports...so I began looking myself.
Attached is a link to a "slice" of my upper spine, where I think I found what appears to be a lesion from every image of them I can compare it to. Was this missed when my report was done?
Please give me your opinions. Thanks. Link below> copy paste etc..
http://s613.photobucket.com/albums/tt217/3dayspain_photos/?action=view¤t=spots2.jpg
Just checked and the Mri, with and without contrast was done on a "fixed 1.5 Tesla Philips unit".
I am not saying that it definately IS a lesion; I just wanted opinions as to others images. I have looked at hundreds of upper, thoratic, lumbar etc,, spine MRI images trying to compare. Also have seen at least 100 or so MRI images of documented spinal lesions.. Tried to take a "scientific approach". What I found looks like a lesion compared to others, but you are right it could be an artifact they call it, a shadow..etc.. and not a lesion... But I have some strange feeling that the Radiologist probably gave it a full 10 minutes of his time, ten another 25 minutes or so to write up the report. Maybe I am paranoid, maybe I just am sick of feeling like this ALL the time.
I am not saying that it definately IS a lesion; I just wanted opinions as to others images. I have looked at hundreds of upper, thoratic, lumbar etc,, spine MRI images trying to compare. Also have seen at least 100 or so MRI images of documented spinal lesions.. Tried to take a "scientific approach". What I found looks like a lesion compared to others, but you are right it could be an artifact they call it, a shadow..etc.. and not a lesion... But I have some strange feeling that the Radiologist probably gave it a full 10 minutes of his time, ten another 25 minutes or so to write up the report. Maybe I am paranoid, maybe I just am sick of feeling like this ALL the time.
Hi all. I am a 32 year old male who has lived with chronic headaches and severe neck pain for 10+ years. it seems to be increasing as every month goes by.
last year because of extreme fatigue, headaches, and constant swollen lyph nodes on the left side of my neck I had a series of blood tests CT scans and MRIs done. i also had a surgical biopsy done of one of the many nodes in neck which appeared negative for cancer. Also have a hardened mass in my laranx which had an ultrasound for with no follow up from docs. That was a year ago.
Shortly after had an appointment with a Neuro who wouldn't even look at my Mri images and proceeded to diagnos me with Fibromaylgia. Doctor a few months back ordered up immune system tests such as HIV, Lyme disease, etc.. as well as blood marker tests which all came back okay.
I currently have been taking Vicodin, Percocet, Flexeril, and Neurotin for the pain, but most times it doesnt even touch it and only adds to my fatigue.
Long story short.. about a week ago I had an appointment with a NeuroSurgeon, who 2 minutes into the appointment wanted to tell me there was nothing any of my symptoms presented that he could do for me, without yet again looking at my MRI ct images. This Time I recieved a copy of them on a disc to bring to appointment. Radiologist reports state Normal Normal etc.. with a few things that made me follow up a bit on my own.
On the MRI images on the same right hand side, where the brainstem/bone meet on the brain MRI it appears as a solid white MASS/ and above it a blackened area where on the opposite side it appears as bone (from my limited research the Temporal bone?) at the base of my skull. I linked it with the finding on my report of "THERE IS A PROMINENT JUGULAR BULB ON THE RIGHT WHICH IS A VARIANT."
A bit more researching this area and I have found that indeed this could be a tumor in the region of my Jugulare Foramen. My mother who had taken care of my grandmother (bone cancer), had called a few of her ex doctors/nurses, and they said to her that my symptoms sound brainstem related and that someone must be missing something.
Anyone here have any advice as to what this might be, and if it could actually be a tumor that is causing my chronic pain, headaches and dizziness?? I could follow this up with more details, or even be a bit more descriptive, but for now I am desperately seeking any advice as to what to do. I do have images of it/jpegs.
Please help. Please.
I suppose to give a better understanding other symptoms that I have are:
Most recently: My whole Left side/area of my ear feels like it has some sort of pressure/numbness to it, hard to describe really, yet very annoying.
Ringing in ears.. didn't really notice it much until I focused on it, it seems like it has always been there so I am used to it.
"Off feeling" and anxiety depression issues that are heightened when I am in Pain.
Pain in my upper left chest area inbetween my 2nd and 3rd rib down towars the middle. I usually wake up with it and it can sometimes last all day. Much different feeling than that of "anxiety" chest pains. This is more specific. Honestly.
Flucuating Blood Pressure. Some days blood pressure is normal, when i am especially stressed out. Other days even when I feel relaxed it is high ex> 145/97 and resting Pulse bpm was 125ish at my last Dr appt.
Vibrations in legs. I have a cellphone that sometimes I put on vibrate, and I am frequently checking for a call coming in, even though my phone is not in my pocket. it feels almost the same but legs mostly upper I will have the vibrating spells.
Major left shoulder/arm wrist pain. Usually the worst when my headache is the worst.
Balance and dizziness. Especially if I bend over or try and turn too quickly.
Insomnia.......
History of upper neck sublexations/ numerous chiro care history, mostly for neck and upper cervical.
Ahhh the symptoms go on and on. I just want to get fixed....
last year because of extreme fatigue, headaches, and constant swollen lyph nodes on the left side of my neck I had a series of blood tests CT scans and MRIs done. i also had a surgical biopsy done of one of the many nodes in neck which appeared negative for cancer. Also have a hardened mass in my laranx which had an ultrasound for with no follow up from docs. That was a year ago.
Shortly after had an appointment with a Neuro who wouldn't even look at my Mri images and proceeded to diagnos me with Fibromaylgia. Doctor a few months back ordered up immune system tests such as HIV, Lyme disease, etc.. as well as blood marker tests which all came back okay.
I currently have been taking Vicodin, Percocet, Flexeril, and Neurotin for the pain, but most times it doesnt even touch it and only adds to my fatigue.
Long story short.. about a week ago I had an appointment with a NeuroSurgeon, who 2 minutes into the appointment wanted to tell me there was nothing any of my symptoms presented that he could do for me, without yet again looking at my MRI ct images. This Time I recieved a copy of them on a disc to bring to appointment. Radiologist reports state Normal Normal etc.. with a few things that made me follow up a bit on my own.
On the MRI images on the same right hand side, where the brainstem/bone meet on the brain MRI it appears as a solid white MASS/ and above it a blackened area where on the opposite side it appears as bone (from my limited research the Temporal bone?) at the base of my skull. I linked it with the finding on my report of "THERE IS A PROMINENT JUGULAR BULB ON THE RIGHT WHICH IS A VARIANT."
A bit more researching this area and I have found that indeed this could be a tumor in the region of my Jugulare Foramen. My mother who had taken care of my grandmother (bone cancer), had called a few of her ex doctors/nurses, and they said to her that my symptoms sound brainstem related and that someone must be missing something.
Anyone here have any advice as to what this might be, and if it could actually be a tumor that is causing my chronic pain, headaches and dizziness?? I could follow this up with more details, or even be a bit more descriptive, but for now I am desperately seeking any advice as to what to do. I do have images of it/jpegs.
Please help. Please.
I suppose to give a better understanding other symptoms that I have are:
Most recently: My whole Left side/area of my ear feels like it has some sort of pressure/numbness to it, hard to describe really, yet very annoying.
Ringing in ears.. didn't really notice it much until I focused on it, it seems like it has always been there so I am used to it.
"Off feeling" and anxiety depression issues that are heightened when I am in Pain.
Pain in my upper left chest area inbetween my 2nd and 3rd rib down towars the middle. I usually wake up with it and it can sometimes last all day. Much different feeling than that of "anxiety" chest pains. This is more specific. Honestly.
Flucuating Blood Pressure. Some days blood pressure is normal, when i am especially stressed out. Other days even when I feel relaxed it is high ex> 145/97 and resting Pulse bpm was 125ish at my last Dr appt.
Vibrations in legs. I have a cellphone that sometimes I put on vibrate, and I am frequently checking for a call coming in, even though my phone is not in my pocket. it feels almost the same but legs mostly upper I will have the vibrating spells.
Major left shoulder/arm wrist pain. Usually the worst when my headache is the worst.
Balance and dizziness. Especially if I bend over or try and turn too quickly.
Insomnia.......
History of upper neck sublexations/ numerous chiro care history, mostly for neck and upper cervical.
Ahhh the symptoms go on and on. I just want to get fixed....
Yes I am new here, as I am desperate to find out a sollution to my problems.. waiting 3 months at a time for appointments that last 15 minutes and go nowhere just aren't getting me by..:(
Symptoms kicked in to high gear about 5 or 6 years ago now, had them also when I was younger/ 13/14 yrs old. Both onset periods I heavily went to chiropractors for relief. One Chiro told me that the muscles that are supposed to lift my left leg weren't firing and I was actually using my back/shoulder muscles to lift my leg... along with all kinds of other things he found wrong..all looked over by my other doctors... But from another post I just made here on a more serious topic Cancer, which that along with the headaches was the reason for the image studies in the first place....and again it goes along with the reading of my own images. At my last primary care appointment 3 days ago, my doctor admitted to me that lots of times Radiologists will miss things and not look for them as they are detached from the patient and symptoms etc.. and don't try extra hard to "SEE" things. My last career if you will, dealing with images and graphic design, i know all about brightness/contrast, filters and such to catch things that would otherwise go unseen...so heres part of some of my symptoms/story sorry for being so long winded...
Symptoms kicked in to high gear about 5 or 6 years ago now, had them also when I was younger/ 13/14 yrs old. Both onset periods I heavily went to chiropractors for relief. One Chiro told me that the muscles that are supposed to lift my left leg weren't firing and I was actually using my back/shoulder muscles to lift my leg... along with all kinds of other things he found wrong..all looked over by my other doctors... But from another post I just made here on a more serious topic Cancer, which that along with the headaches was the reason for the image studies in the first place....and again it goes along with the reading of my own images. At my last primary care appointment 3 days ago, my doctor admitted to me that lots of times Radiologists will miss things and not look for them as they are detached from the patient and symptoms etc.. and don't try extra hard to "SEE" things. My last career if you will, dealing with images and graphic design, i know all about brightness/contrast, filters and such to catch things that would otherwise go unseen...so heres part of some of my symptoms/story sorry for being so long winded...
I will tell you what I tell the others. It is sheer folly to try to read your own MRIs. It takes a neuroradiologist years to develop the real skill of doing it. I realize that it is impossible not to look at them and try to see stuff, but unless you have a deep knowledge of neuroanatomy and have seen thousands of MRIs you are not going to be able to distinguish small lesions from normal anatomy. Also you have to know the limits of the image you are looking at - what irregularities are normal with that technique?
Especially in the spinal cord, lesions are hard to see on any machine with a resolution of less than 1.5 Tesla. I am a physician and I never try to read them. I know I am not skilled enough.
Sometimes you can get your images sent to another neuroradiologist for a second opinion. This is not a bad idea, especially if your hisotry and exam are suggestive enough of MS or another problem.
I don't remember seeing you here before. If not Welcome. If you have been here, then a belated welcome. why don't you tell us your story and why the MRIs were done. BTW - X-rays and CT scans are useless for looking for MS lesions.
Join us!
Quix
Especially in the spinal cord, lesions are hard to see on any machine with a resolution of less than 1.5 Tesla. I am a physician and I never try to read them. I know I am not skilled enough.
Sometimes you can get your images sent to another neuroradiologist for a second opinion. This is not a bad idea, especially if your hisotry and exam are suggestive enough of MS or another problem.
I don't remember seeing you here before. If not Welcome. If you have been here, then a belated welcome. why don't you tell us your story and why the MRIs were done. BTW - X-rays and CT scans are useless for looking for MS lesions.
Join us!
Quix
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