just a brain MRI?

[meeegun]

i spoke with my ms specialist yesterday about my yearly MRI and she said that i just needed a brain MRI even though i have multiple c-spine and one t/l spine lesion. since this is my first anniversary of my diagnosis, i don't know if this is what is normal or if i should be pressing harder to get the other scans. she said that spinal cord lesions are not reliable trackers of progression. but shouldn't i know how many lesions i have in my spine, especially my c-spine?

[CGMoonbeam]

I've always had both, but haven't had MRI in a couple of years, because I can't lie still that long. I ask my neuro a lot of questions. Ask your neuro why.

[Alicious]

My neuro said that the brain scan was the easiest way to determine the progression of the disease because you can get new lesions there and never notice, whereas this is unlikely in the spine. So, especially if there are no flares, the brain is a good place to look for disease progression.

I have multiple spinal lesions as well, and that is where new ones like to pop up. Those I notice; it's hard not to since there is so little real estate in the cord. Brain ones, however, have shown without me ever noticing, but the scan gives some info.

Whether or not this is right for your care or your comfort level is definitely a conversation to have with your neuro. I suspect I'm not explaining it half as well as it was explained to me.