Expert: Claes-Gustaf Nordquist, M.D. - 9/5/2007

Question
Can you help me understand my results better?
Findings:  The cerebral cortex was well visualized and demonstrates a normal sulcal and gyral pattern.  The ventricular system is of noraml size and configuration.  There is a single T2 hypersinensity mearusing several milimeters in the deep subcortical white matter adjacent to the right occipital horn.  This does not enhance.  There are no other signal abnormalities seen within the deep white matter cortex.  No other enhancing lesions are seen.  The cerebellum and the brain stem appear normal, as does the craniocervial junction.  The sellar and the parasellar regions appear normal.  The seventh and eighth nerve complexes appear normal.  The paranasal sinuses appear aerated.  No orbital masses are seen.  A probably prominent Virchow-Robbins space is seen in the left external capsule.

Impression :  This MRI of the brain reveals:
A single T2 hyperintensity is seen in the deep subcortical white matter adjacent to the right occipital horn.  This is non-specific, but could be seen in a number of conditions including demyelinating disease, migraine headaches, or chronic small vessel ischemic change.  Clinical correlation is required.

I was told by my Nurse all was pretty much well, I had the MRI do to symptoms resembling fibromylagia or MS.
So when I got the paper results it scared me, they don't seem well to me.
I called, she said they are pretty well non specific, she said it was not a tumor, or anything bad like that.
Can you shed ANY light on the results?  Thanks!

Answer
This is NOT a tumor! Just as they have told you you can see similar findings in many different conditions and any such findings should therefore be correlated with symptoms (of which I knw more or less nothing) in order to reach some sort of diagnosis. Since it is NOT a tumor it is also outside my area of expertise here. You should instead discuss this with an expert of neurology - which I am not, I'm a cancer dr.! Good luck!