MRI

[livewire]

How often does your neurologist do MRIs for you? I am wanting to know the range and see if I need a new one done.

[rainykatie]

mine said it will be one per year

[there]

If I asked to have one my neuro would get one which I don't. I think I have had 2 brain MRIs and two diff. spinal MRIs the past 20 years with MS. Since lesions don't correlate with disability I see no point in getting MRIs.

[Bob698]

It really depends on you, your Dr., your symtoms, and where you get treated.

I think my experience is pretty typical. I had a cranial MRI (which showed a lot of activity) and the much longer spinal MRI (which came back "clean") when I was being diagnosed. A follow up cranial MRI was done six months later to check the effects of the DMD I started (it was really good news). I had another at the one year point to verify things were still good.
At that point, talking to my Dr. about MRIs became less about necessity and more about "should we or shouldn't we?". My physical symtoms stayed stable so I chose to opt out unless new stuff came up.

So, I'm at the three year point and we decided it was time to set up another- just to be sure things are stable and the DMD is still effective.

One thing to note, if I start to feel new symtoms come up I'll pick up the phone and run to the tube.

[livewire]

Thanl you

Thanks for everyone's input. I think it is time, probably should have done it a year ago, but I think now is the time to get one. thanks again

[Russ4210]

MRIs are different

I’ve had 4 – 5 MRIs over the years. The first one was in a medium size MRI (I think ,75 Tesla) and the next couple in a smaller, less constrained Open MRI (.5 Tesla). My last on was in a hospital in the mondo MRI (1+ Tesla), full scan, brain, neck and spine.

The thing that annoys me is my two Neurologist and Radiologists I’ve seen refuse to compare the various MRIs for activity and progression. They said if the MRIs are not from the exact same MRI, then they cannot compare the results.

I’ve gotten the film from each MRI and can see the difference in image quality. From now on, it’s the MRI in the hospital and not the “little” MRIs. The bad thing is the expense. My last full MRI in the hospital had a charge of $18K. Insurance covered most, but I still maxed out my OOP expense.

I generally have a MRI every couple of years, maybe 3 years.

The other notable result was the Radiologist report said (commenting on the lesions) “too many to count”. That was a first.

[Toomnyhats]

My doc says I have to have them every 3 yrs. This yr b/c of finances, I cancelled the c-spine & only did the head. Currently I'm not having any issues so I didn't want/need that one but if I don't get it doc might not treat me

[KateA2]

I've had 5 MRIs in the last 1 1/2 years because of having 4 flares in the same time-period (we think), one of them severe.

2 of the scans were cranial only, one was a trigeminal-nerve scan in the special T4 "research" model...was interesting. The other two were full-spine and took 3 hours each (thank you sedatives!)

The last spinal MRI I had I woke up 1 1/2 hrs in, and found the last patient had left a GIGANTIC booger on the tube wall, right in front of my face. I tried to be "zen" about it for the next 1 1/2 hrs but it was difficult...lol

My next T3 MRI (4 hour, full spine and head) is scheduled for the end of November - I'm hoping Big Betty (my large spinal lesion) will have healed some more, and no new additions to the family...at which point may it be loooong until I venture into the tube again.

[MarkLavelle]

"Don't go looking for trouble, trouble will find you..."

While I understand wanting to "know" what's going on in your CNS, I've never heard a good reason for new MRIs without new sx (or attempting to solidify a tentative dx). Keeping track of lesion counts and locations sounds like a good idea, but that knowledge can't contribute anything useful to the quality of our treatment.

My oncologist started out in cancer research, and he often reminded me that every "just looking" scan is an opportunity for new misdiagnosis. Every 'abnormality' that is observed is reported, but the fact is that scans often pick up abnormalities that have no medical significance.

[22cyclist]

My MS center checks them every year unless there is evidence of a new lesion on physical exam, then you may get and extra one and that resets your yearly schedule.

[Alicious]

Keeping track of lesion counts and locations sounds like a good idea, but that knowledge can't contribute anything useful to the quality of our treatment.

My neuro uses it a part of the decision process about whether or not a med is working. If I switch meds and 6 months later have a bunch of new silent lesions, that is something to be taken into consideration.

I'm sure different doctors have different opinions, but to me that sounds useful.