MRI Results - Confused!!!

[1375902132@facebook]

Hello all. I have experienced MS type symptoms for about 6 years now. I have had a couple dr's make mention of possible MS, but to date, no diagnosis. Finally, I have a neurologist who is taking my symptoms seriously... I recently had an MRI of head, c and t spine. Haven't heard from the neurologist, but I had the radiology dept. send me the report.

Found out in the process that I have a disc bulge in C5-C6 and C6-C7, as well as degenerative disk disease and a herniated L1. This was all they found in the spine MRI.

On the brain, the report mentions:
1. focus of CSF signal in right sublentiform region which likely represents a dilated perivascular space
2. small focus of susceptibility artifact within the right basal ganglia which likely represents calcification.

The impression states Unremarkable MRI of the brain... I am confused by this. Is there anyone here who understands this report? I am so nervous and tired of waiting!!!

[Lexie]

I understand none of it. All my neurologist told me was that I have "LOTS" of white spots on the brain. How is that for an explanation? I was diagonosed in May 2011 after 7
months of testing. I have been on copaxone since June. Most of my information comes from this site. Sad that it seems as if most neuro loose interest after they make a diagonosis
.

[SNOOPY]

Found out in the process that I have a disc bulge in C5-C6 and C6-C7, as well as degenerative disk disease and a herniated L1. This was all they found in the spine MRI.

The issues found on the spine MRI can cause neurological symptoms.

The brain MRI as stated is unremakable...no significant findings.

Your doctor will be able to clarify the findings for you.

[Redwings]

I have experienced MS type symptoms for about 6 years now.

The most important thing to understand about MS-type symptoms is that they are largely general neurological symptoms that can be caused by dozens of different conditions. MS is only one of the possibilities. Because it is a possibility, certain tests are performed to evaluate for it.

MRI findings are so important to the diagnosis of MS that the diagnostic criteria require at least one abnormality (lesion) that is characteristic of MS. Your MRIs don't show abnormalities characteristic of MS. That doesn't mean that MS isn't still a possibility, but there isn't yet sufficient evidence to point to it. There are other tests that are necessary or helpful in an MS workup, and you didn't mention what other tests have been done, but the MRI findings are still required for diagnosis of MS and all other conditions have to be ruled out or accounted for.

On the whole, your brain MRI does sound unremarkable. That doesn't mean that those two findings aren't possibly causing some neurological symptoms. That's up to your neurologist to decide. But the disc findings are significant: impingement of the spinal nerves can cause many neurological symptoms in the parts of the body that are below those discs. The disc findings are objective evidence of problems that need to be followed up on.

Confusion can come from the belief that MS is the only condition that can cause neurological symptoms. Once that misconception is set aside, then it becomes much easier to understand why MS tests come up negative/normal. The answer may be as simple as that the condition may not be/isn't MS and you have to look somewhere else. Another consideration is that the body sometimes takes a while before it gives up enough clues to make a diagnosis from. That means that you might have to wait awhile, no matter how long it takes. Based on your MRIs (and possibly/probably other tests you didn't mention), MS is off the table for now and there are other conditions to be investigated. I hop you find some answers soon.