Hi, I'm Samantha. I began having a severe migraine about 3 weeks ago, and it lasted for 12 days straight. It was more tollerable at times, than at other times during those days. Then I had 2 headache free days, and then they were back again for 4 days. Thus, my family dr. put me on an antibiotic for a sinus infection and sent me over for an MRI.

I am sitting with a mailed copy of a abnormal MRI of the brain in front of me. My $%^##$ dr. mailed it to me, and now it's the weekend and I have no idea how to read this stuff.

I was hoping someone out there could help. Here goes...

Impression:
Abnormal MRI of the brain.

A large mucous retention cyst bordering on a mucocele is seen involving the left maxillary sinus. Some mild chronic appearing mucous inflammatory changes are scattered within the right middle ethmoidal air cells. Additional CT scan of the sinuses may be beneficial to determine the extent of osseous deformation.

and here's the part that concerns me.....

A single left basal ganglia hyperintense focus is seen on long tr sequences. This may be a single chronic ischemic lesion. This is also a finding that may be incidental with migraineurs. Further clinical correlation is recommended.

Now, of course I have been scouring the net and getting all kinds of hits on stroke, MS and other disorders and I'm kinda worried. It is 12:00 pm here on the east coast, and I know I am in for a sleepless night, thanks to my family physician who decided to just mail this stuff to me with no explaination other than when I called the nurse to request the results, she said "he had me mail you a copy of the MRI results and call if you have questions."

Well, DUH! Wouldn't you think I would have questions? How the heck am I suppose to understand this stuff? And this lesion, was it caused by my migraine or by a stroke or what? I was reading that these ischemic lesions could correlate to stroke.

Anyway, if anyone has any insight, I would greatly appreciate a response. Thank you.