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Do I have ms? What else could it be?

This is what my brain mri showed has anyone else been diagnosed with ms with a report like this? If not then what could it be?

BRAIN PARENCHYMA: Within the periventricular/pericallosal white matter of the right supratentorial hemisphere, there is a 9 mm linear focus of altered signal intensity (prolonged T2/FLAIR signal alteration), a nonspecific finding, possibly representing a Dawson's finger of multiple sclerosis. No additional foci are however present. There is no gadolinium enhancement.


IMPRESSION: A linear focus of altered signal intensity within the periventricular/pericallosal white matter of the right supratentorial hemisphere is a nonspecific finding. Similar findings have been described in patients with a chronic migrainous headache history. A solitary demyelinating plaque is not excluded. There is no gadolinium enhancement.
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1081992 tn?1389903637
Hi, the key term here is "nonspecific finding", which means that what is seen on your MRI can point to more than one particular cause.  

It might be MS, but apparently, they'd ordinarily expect to see more than one such bright line (linear hyperintensity on T2) in MS --- while you have only one such bright line. An alternative association mentioned has to do with having migraines.

This study says that, in older people, it can be from normal aging without symptoms. Back in 2013, only 47% of what looked like MS turned out to actually be MS. "Compared to the neuropathologic reference standard, radiological assessment for periventricular WMHs showed a good sensitivity (83%) but only low specificity (47%) "
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3893472/

... that's when the bright line is in the periventricular area of the brain, which is where yours is at. So that's a good alternative explanation, depending on a person's age.


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I know that this question is not recent, but maybe the reply might help somebody else who happens upon this post.
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