[joirish]

:hello:
Hi,
I had MRI on Friday - query inflammation. My ESR is 40 was 7 last Dec, body ok but head really bad, headaches since Feb!!

Anyway, my question is if anybody can answer it is What colour does inflammation show up as on a MRI?

Have Rheumy appointment on Wed to find out for sure whats going on, when i meet her last month she mentioned Cerebral Vasculitis so will find out for def what it is....totally floored with this Fatigue really really bad....lost a full week this month already.

Hope somebody can answer the above question........

 

[Lily]

Hi Jo,

Sorry you have been so unwell, I hope you get another explanation for your headaches :hug: They have tested you for antiphospholipid syndrome haven't they? Vasculitis comes with a lot of symptoms besides the headaches and the headaches aren't usually constant either, but boy when they hit you know it - so I hope it isn't that.

I leave the interpretation of MRI's to my Neurologist it's really hard for a layperson to understand them. Did they use a contrast dye for your MRI? Often you will see little white spots of enhancement on the film - however there are a million reasons for those and only an expert eye can determine the most probable cause. It's not uncommon to get some white patches as we age either and they are quite normal. Sometimes they do negative images as well though and there are dark spots :hehe: If they used dye and you had active vasculitis it shows in a very specific pouching pattern in the blood vessels in your brain if they are lucky enough to catch it when it's active. Do you have the radiology report?

Good luck with your appt. and let us know how you get along.

love
Lily

 

[lazylegs]

Hi Josephine,

Even the experts don't always agree in the reading of the MRI. The picture itself has to be looked at in conjunction with all the symptoms. Your neurologist will be the best person to do that.

Good luck with your appointment on Friday. Let us know how everything turns out.

Take care,
Lazylegs

 

[joirish]

Back from clinic

:sad:

Hi,
Thanks for the reply's. They didn’t use contract dye when they did the MRI on Fri just the straightforward Mri. Not a good idea for me to get the scan on disk think next time will tell them to hang on to it and sent to hospital.

Anyway, not long in door from Lupus Clinic. Had a cry so now feel up to writing down what happened.
Mri showed up ok, no vasculitis. Doc says my complemtes are within range but my ESR is 40(it was 7 in Dec)!!! While I was there got a blinding headache (was told I looked drained after it WHO WOULD'NT BE)!! No def diagnose so no better off..... but I still feel like all the inflamation is centred in my head as by body feel ok otherwise (as good as it can be). Doc going to get me an emergency appointment with a Neurologist will call me with it.

So fed up now, just want them to tell me what’s going on and i can get on with my life again. Was asked what did i think was wrong!!! I can see how mad i am as im writing this.

My partner explained that i have been confused, off balance (fell twice, broke my nose on Jan 1st), walking into poles, dizzy and very very tired since Jan.

So have to wait again, tears stopped now so time to have a rest and leave it go I think.

Love

 

[Katharine]

Hi Josephine,

I can understand how you're feeling now. Just the sheer frustration we go through trying to find answers makes us build up hopes when often the road to answers can be very long and oftentimes bumpy :hug:

I would like to pick up on the positives here. It sounds like you haven't actually seen a neuro yet and that you are being referred...that is excellent news!!! From the symptoms you describe a neuro is very much the doc you need to see. People can still be quite ill and have clear MRIs. Also a neuro will want to read that MRI himself as only they are truly specialised in reading them (even then they'll disagree).

The neuro may well want you to do another MRI with contrast as well as an EEG if that hasn't already been done.

It's good that your partner went with you, it does sometimes help docs to take you more seriously.

Hang in there, you will get to answers some day, it just might take some time and a lot of patience.

:grouphug2:
Katharine

 

[Lily]

(((((((((Jo)))))))))

Unbelievable they asked YOU what you thought was wrong it shows they don't have a clue Well they kinda demonstrated that by not using contrast dye anyway, I don't know why it's just not standard unless someone has an allergy to it - makes me mad!

As Katharine said a Neuro is the best person to see about all this and I hope that your appt is soon and he/she can be much more helpful than what you experienced today. Make sure you take the disc along and any films if they did them. Also ask to be tested for APS, it really should be done given those symptoms.

sending hugs,

Lily