MRI strength and negative MRI

[pianomom]

Hello, I had a negative MRI 2 weeks ago because of some dizziness, numbness, extreme fatigue, and brain fog that I've been experiencing the last several weeks. Last week I became so dizzy I ended up in the ER. I also experience what I think might be "the hug." My legs also feel quite weak for the last couple of weeks.

My question regards the Tesla strength of the MRI machine that was used. It was a 1.5. Do you any of you have experience with getting a negative MRI on this strength of machine but were later found to have lesion when it was done on a higher strength MRI? I just wonder if I should push for another MRI on a different machine. Thanks for any input.

[HellsBells1]

Living on Vancouver Island in Canada, the only MRI machines we have access to are the 1.5 Tesla. In 2009 I suddenly got double-vision, and had a brain MRI on one of these machines, which showed absolutely nothing, nada, zippo.

At the end of last year, I got a movement disorder (seemed like Myoclonic Jerking in my back) and because I didn't want to wait the 6 month waiting list !!! I paid to have my MRI done on the mainland at a private clinic with a 3 Tesla machine. 8-9 lesions were found in different parts of the brain (some only 3-4 mm oval lesions and others tiny punctate foci). Neither MRI was done with contrast. Just had another MRI done at The Mayo Clinic which I think was a 7 Tesla because the quality was phenomenal! Confirmed the same lesions as 2012 MRI.

So, I don't think I developed all of these lesions suddenly since 2009. I compare the quality of the 1.5 vs. the 3 and I believe the 1.5 was just not strong enough to show the type of lesions that I have. If you have access to a 3 Tesla, I would go for it.

[pianomom]

Thank you so much. that is exactly the kind of personal experience I was looking for.

[foolintherain]

I had several MRIs on a 1.5 T machine that didn't show anything. Based on my symptoms and other abnormal tests, the MS specialist I saw diagnosed me with clinically isolated syndrome, but wanted to get me scanned on a 3 T machine to see if the lesions would show up on that. It did show some small lesions that the 1.5 machine did not pick up.