Hi everyone. I have not been diagnosed with MS but due to scary memory problems, developing double vision, and getting bad results on a visual evoked potential test (slow signal latencies, worse on left), I was sent for a brain MRI.
Today I received the radiologist's report that says "unremarkable" for most everything, but says this:
"Brain parenchyma: A few, less than 3 mm diameter bilateral frontal and right parietal deep white matter T2 hyperintensities, likely represent normal aging process and/or minimal small vessel ischemic process. Migraine associated white matter disease is difficult to exclude."
While trying to figure out what that means, I gather that "hyperintensities" are lesions that showed up with contrast, is that correct?
Regarding the normal aging process possibility, I'm only 48. Don't these kinds of things normally show up after age 60?
Regarding the vessel ischemic process possibility, I have no risk factors for that. I don't have high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, or smoke, plus again, just 48 years old.
Regarding migraine disease, I don't have migraines. I've never been diagnosed or treated for migraines. In my 20s I had headaches I thought could be migraines, but that was ages ago and not ongoing.
So...does anyone have some insight as to what my results could mean? There was no mention of MS on the report, but my doctor and optometrist both mentioned it before the MRI. Could those lesions be MS (do they sound like in the normal area or type)?
I don't see my doctor for another week, and frankly, I have no faith in her based on things she's said in the past (I'm poor and on Medicaid, so basically am lucky I get to see anyone, can't be choosy). I know nobody can diagnose me, and I'm not asking for that, I'm just asking for knowledge and experience and probabilities.
Thanks in advance
Today I received the radiologist's report that says "unremarkable" for most everything, but says this:
"Brain parenchyma: A few, less than 3 mm diameter bilateral frontal and right parietal deep white matter T2 hyperintensities, likely represent normal aging process and/or minimal small vessel ischemic process. Migraine associated white matter disease is difficult to exclude."
While trying to figure out what that means, I gather that "hyperintensities" are lesions that showed up with contrast, is that correct?
Regarding the normal aging process possibility, I'm only 48. Don't these kinds of things normally show up after age 60?
Regarding the vessel ischemic process possibility, I have no risk factors for that. I don't have high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, or smoke, plus again, just 48 years old.
Regarding migraine disease, I don't have migraines. I've never been diagnosed or treated for migraines. In my 20s I had headaches I thought could be migraines, but that was ages ago and not ongoing.
So...does anyone have some insight as to what my results could mean? There was no mention of MS on the report, but my doctor and optometrist both mentioned it before the MRI. Could those lesions be MS (do they sound like in the normal area or type)?
I don't see my doctor for another week, and frankly, I have no faith in her based on things she's said in the past (I'm poor and on Medicaid, so basically am lucky I get to see anyone, can't be choosy). I know nobody can diagnose me, and I'm not asking for that, I'm just asking for knowledge and experience and probabilities.
Thanks in advance
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