Could someone explain to me what the difference is between T1 hyperintense, T2 hyperintense, and T1 hypointense lesions? I think I have this written down correctly. I'm trying to make sense of my MRI report. Which ones are gandolinium enhanced and which ones are black holes? I'm a bit confused.

I think the T1 and T2 are just indicators of what intensity that the MRI is set for depending on whether you've been given Gadolinium or not.


Of course I could be wrong. I tried to Google for a definition, but couldnt really find anything that I understood that would explain it.

Natalie,

This link may help:

http://www.radiologyassistant.nl/en/4556dea65db62

-Vic

Thanks Vic. I've seen that before. I understand where the lesions tend to cluster with MS but I'm trying to figure out what it means when it says I have "T1 hyperintensities." (along with other descriptions).

Okay, this is totally depressing.

http://www.healthfinder.gov/news/new...p?docID=607646

And another.

http://www.bio-medicine.org/medicine...ression-221-1/

They believe now that multiple T1 hyperintense lesions (which I apparently have) can be correlated with more "severe" MS as they put it, or secondary progressive.

Ugh. How could I have severe or SP MS if I've only had one clinically isolated episode of O.N??

Maybe I need to stop reading this stuff for awhile. It's freaking me out.

Stop reading this stuff. It'll freak you out and drive you nuts. I did the exact same thing before I got diagnosed and had myself convinced that I was going to die at one point.

Stop researching MS and stuff on the internet. Read a Harry Potter book or learn how to crochet or something. Reading the research will just make you nuts.

This is my understanding, and I will try and remember to ask my nuero tomorrow.

A T1 hyperintense in one that intensifies with contrast, meaning it is active or coming out of an active cycle. The T2 are newer, but not healed and the hypo ones are older and more healed up.

I'll do more research, and as I said, if I remember will ask my nero tomorrow!!

Don't give yourself something to worry about. Write your questions down, and ask.

Also, how many T1's does your mri say you have. Most RRMS have at least one!

Well according to this study it says about 78% of all people have at least one T1 hyperintense lesion. But 71% of those with SPMS had multiple T1 hyperintense lesions and only 46% of RRMS have multiple T1 hyperintense lesions.

The Mayo clinic said I had a "significant amount of T1 hyperintensities" on the notes for the second visit. What the hell does significant mean? But on the notes for the first visit the doctor wrote the two MRIs done at home show
"T2 hyperintense lesions with decreased T1 hypotensity and actually several black holes. There were more than nine lesions in periventricular, subcortical as well as around the corpus callosum that were in the right orientation location to suggest demyelinating disease. Several of these were enhancing in the initial MRI." Basically I'm confused.

I think this line in another abstract scared me: "Hyperintense MS plaques on T1-weighted MR images are common and associated with brain atrophy, disability, and advancing disease; a hyperintense lesion may be a clinically relevant biomarker."

Anyhow, Erin is probably right. I'm just torturing myself by doing all this reading. It just escalates the anxiety.
I don't see the neuro for another month.

I find words in MRI reports like "significant," "several," "multiple" and "many" to be highly vague and hardly illuminating.

So, instead of Googling MS stuff, look at all these cute pictures of Pug puppies instead.

Arent they cute? Guaranteed to take your mind off of serious stuff.