This is my MRIradiology report after one year of being diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis.  A good portion of this is significantly over my head but I have posted it for those who are curious as well as those who know more anatomy than I do!  :-)  My comments are in red italics.  Some of the personal header information has been removed (chart #, doctor, etc.) but the report is intact.  I used Omnipage Pro v.12 and I caught some errors which I think I corrected but a lot of these terms are foreign to me so there may be quire a few misspellings.  :-)  Enjoy.  The contrast is Gadolinium (gadopentetate dimeglumine).

Side note:  I much preferred the radiologist's writing style who did the report on my first MRI than this one because I found it a little easier to understand of course the neurologist may disagree.  :-)

Also the cervical spine scan was not repeated from the first MRI.  While there have certainly been new lesions in my spine (based on symptoms I've had) the contrast is ineffective in the spine so it would not yield that interesting of results.  The important thing at this point is to look at the brain.

You probably came here from my Blog but if not you will probably also be very interested in it: http://blog.thesmithlife.com

MRI of the Brain with Contrast

PATIENT: SMITH, ERIK
DATE: 05/20/04

MRI OF THE BRAIN WITHOUT AND WITH CONTRAST

TECHNIQUE: Multiplanar images of the brain are obtained. The study is performed without and with intravenous contrast. FLAIR, TI and T2-weighted sequences are performed.

COMPARISON: MRI of May 16, 2003.

CLINICAL HISTORY: Foot numbness.  (I guess I should have mentioned the tremors too but oh well)

FINDINGS: There are multiple widespread signal changes throughout both cerebral hemispheres and the posterior fossa that are consistent with the given clinical history of demyelinating disease. Many of these lesions are similar when compared to the prior study, although there have been several new areas that have developed since the prior study, and several have regressed since the earlier examination in 2003. This is typical of demyelination. There are small new lesions in both cerebral hemispheres, with the largest measuring 1 cm in diameter in the right cerebellum, and this shows slight enhancement. A tiny new lesion measuring 8 mm in diameter is present in the right portion of the corpus callosum, and this also enhances very slightly. There are several lesions in the frontal and occipital cortex that were not present on the prior study, but these are small in size. Several small lesions on the prior examination have regressed.

There is no single dominant lesion. No intracerebral edema is present. No mass effect or shift if present. No hydrocephalus is present. The basal cisterns are not compressed.

IMPRESSION:
  1. There are multiple widespread signal changes which are relatively small in size, scattered throughout both cerebral hemispheres and throughout the posterior fossa, that are consistent with the given clinical history of demyelinating disease.
  2. There are several small new lesions that have develop since the prior examination, and several lesions have regressed over time.
  3. There is a 1 cm lesion showing slight enhancement in the right cerebellum, which is new. Another 8 mm lesion in the right portion of the forceps major/corpus callosum is present, but also slightly enhances and is new.
  4. There is no significant dominant lesion.
  5. No mass effect or intracerebral edema is present.
  6. No hydrocephalus is present

© Erik Smith 2004