Oh . . . one of those gerbil powered ones!?! :wink:

Still . . . I'd be curious what your (or any neuro/MS Specialist) has to say about this, if anyone has the chance to ask.

Cherie

Made it through the MRI with contrast without any problems. I had my appointment with my neuro four hours later, and the good news is that I do not have any new lesions. So he did not schedule another apointment or MRI for a year. I have been having then every 6 months.

Congrats on no new lesions, Barb!:)

Laura - so funny/strange to hear how long you have to wait for an MRI. The most I've had to wait is 2 days to get an appointment!!

Jack - I've had 6 MRIs since January 2008, all with GAD, and have never needed a blood test or anything extra. (Sheesh, I've had a lot of MRIs!:eek:)

~Keri

My GP actually ordered this MRI. She wasn't satisfied with the amount they scanned initially. They want to scan the brain stem area as well this time.

I have to be there for 2:30pm, to begin testing at 3pm... which basically has me out of commission for most of my work day :p Sigh.

Oh yeah, by pure (?) coincidence my neurologist called today for me to go in for a check up.

I hate how ominous the secretary sounds when she leaves a message on my machine too. Like the place is a dismal trap or something.

To be honest, I think they're onto me. I never did tell my neuro I stopped Copaxone. I will when I see him though. I'll refuse other DMDs as well. I don't think he'll be happy with this, but hey, it's my body!

I chuckled because Shared Solutions called me as well today and left a message (all while I was working).

Hi Laura and Cherie. As an X-ray tech and MRI tech-in-training, I can tell you that there are definitely lesions that are silent without GAD. What the GAD shows is lesions that are currently in an inflammatory stage.

People with SPMS or PPMS can still get new lesions (and they're active) but usually not inflammatory so they don't usually light up with GAD.

The presence of GAD enhanced lesions usually indicates the likelihood that DMDs or steroids would be of use.

I have personally seen a young (20's) patient come in suspect of MS. No lesions on original scan. GAD was injected and her poor brain lit up like a Christmas tree. Poor thing. At least she got her diagnosis.

Hope this helps.

so, let me see if I understand. You can have lesions that DONT light up or show until you use GAD? Does this mean the lesions that show up without GAD are just damaged areas? old inflammation areas?

Thanks for the explanation. :cool:

Very interesting, Weeble!

Crazy that a pediatrician neurologist, and that doctor (who wrote that article I quoted) both said the lesions would show up anyway.

I'm going to contact a friend who is a radiologist/technician, and talk to my MS Specialist ... to see what their take on it is. I was very surprised when the ped. neuro said it wasn't necessary, but I didn't trust her anyway. In fact, the last thing I said to her was "If my daughter never has another issue, I guess I'll never see you again . . . and if she does, I won't either". :D

Cherie

How did you know that the enhancing lesions were in fact MS plaques? If I saw a case in which the T2 and FLAIR-weighted scans were clear and the post-gad sequences demonstrated multiple enhancing lesions, I wouldn't be thinking MS; certainly, not before I had ruled out some other, really dastardly stuff.

I have been receiving MRI scans every six months for a couple of years now. for a while it was every 3. I was a mess. I have had GAD for each one. I have routine blood tests done every six months anyway, so I guess they are looking to see if my kidneys are happy then.

I hate shooting the tube! They told me if I dont have new lesions this time, I may get to go to one year at a time.

WAY TO GO BARB! WOO HOO! :hug: