Translating your MRI?
 

So i have the final report for my MRIs and all the pictures (which are really cool! even if they scare me).

The final report says a lot more than my Neurologist is telling me and I wonder if one of them may be wrong. The 2 MRIs were read by 2 different doctors.

Anyone have any useful information for translating the results?

This is a good link:

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

Cherie

You can also ask your nuero to go through the report with you and if he discounts any comments ask him why. I did that with my neuro, and he also pulled up my pictures and showed me the spots being refered to on particular comments.

Your neuro also has the bigger picture on you - he's met you, and conducted other tests and blood tests, reviewed family history, etc. The MRI is just one piece to the puzzle, probably the most important I would guess.

I think the MRI pictures are pretty cool too. I printed out the profile shot and made them into cards.

Cherie, that's a cool site. Really nice to see the images and breakdown of things. Thanks for that!

Legzz, your title made me crack up. I tend to analyze things a bit (some would say a bit much at times) and so when I got one MRI report I asked my neuro about it. It said, "No significant abnormalities." Um, ok. So I didn't have "significant abnormalities" in my brain. But that left a yawning chasm of possibilities for "insignificant abnormalities" and that's what I said to my neuro. "So, doc, it says 'no significant abnormalities here.' Does that mean that there are 'insignificant abnormalities'?" :D He looked at me and just gave me a huge smile and said, "I think you're reading too much into that." (Oh, I knew I was, I was just playing around with him. ;) ) Hey, if you can't laugh....

LOL I know I know I analyze everything. It's a talent really. I am confused though there is a 6.6 mm splat in my brain and you can see it plain as day. several shots of it actually. But the report says there is an 11 mm at the C2-C3 and I cannot find it on thee pictures. It's driving me nuts I would think you could see 11 mm and I am not seeing it. Come out come out where ever you are!:nopity:

I'm laughing here at Bets making hers into cards...were they Christmas cards? :p

Legzz, are you a radiologist? I am asking that because when you look at an MRI even the radiologists and docs will ALL have a different read! :D

I'm one of those people like Gazelle who tends to analyze every detail. I started trying to analyze my MRIs and the reports, but finally settled on trusting my doc, although I asked him to go over the details of the radiology report and discussing it in detail along with viewing the MRI at the same time, with me. His take was different than the radiologist's every time.

You can drive yourself nuts with this stuff!:tongue:

This is a sticky on the MS forum but I'll post it here just in case you missed it:

http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread3436.html

It explains the sx of lesions found in various locations. It's helped me quite a bit.

wow thanks too Cherie....for that site...I might just pull out my scans and give them a peeksie....I believe mine were clear as they stated..but there were a few small areas I wondered about. BUT I know I am not a dr or a radiologist...but curious now that see that site and how they explain things...hmmmm

good luck to the poster ...hope that site helps..and wish you luck on the health, hugsss from an undx, sarah

i remember once when i went to the hospital to pick up a copy of an mri report.
i didn't understand something and actually called the reporting dr to ask him some Q's.

it probably helped that i was a nurse and worked in the hospital.
but i suppose a dr is a dr and you could still call.
unless they told you to check with your own dr.

if your dr isn't being honest with you that's a cause for concern, imho.