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McCarthy
01-11-2007, 06:36 AM
Hi everyone,

Had an appointment with my neurologist today and had a look at the MRI report (forgot to look into it last time). The neuro was great and made me a copy. He issued the Betaferon prescription and I now have it sitting happily in my fridge waiting for the injection training / first hit on Monday. Woo ...

But about the report! Some of you are very up on this so you might give me some more info maybe. Baically I have got MS and they all say so, I'm just interested in thoughts about this. Anyway ...

MRI SPINE
There is a lesion in the cord at C4-5 measuring 15 x 4 x 5mm lying in the left aspect of the cord. No further lesion is seen within the cord. Some minor degenerative changes are present but with no further neural compromise.

There is an incidental finding of an ovoid lesion lying within the right psoas measuring 33 x 17 x 17mm. This enhances markedly and the appearances are suggestive of a neuroma. However, I suspect this is unrelated to the patient clinical problem. No further neural compromise is seen within the spine.

MRI BRAIN
Multiple foci of increased signal are seen within the FLAIR and T2 weighted sequences. The lesions do not appear to enhance with contrast. In a male patient of this age the appearances are most likely due to demyelination, especially when combined with the cord appearances. No further haemorrhage, infarction, mass lesion or other focal abnormality is apparent.

CONCLUSION
Demyelinating plaques within the cerebral white matter and cervical cord consistent with MS. There is an incidental finding of a neuroma in the right psoas of doubtful significance. No further pathology is apparent.


So yeh, I guess my neuro isn't getting kickbacks from Schering for the Betaferon prescription, or the radiologist is in on it too. Damnit, its really hard to maintain a quality extended denial period with this sort of thing on paper ;)

I looked up neuroma and shouldn't have. It means tumor! Though its nice to note that nobody thinks its serious. Keep hearing Arnold Schwarzenegger saying "its not a tumorrr" over and over though :D

So, anyone who is a budding MRI expert have comment? Sounds pretty clear cut, which I guess is why I'm getting all these expensive drugs and all ...

Cat Dancer
01-11-2007, 06:51 AM
I'm sorry, it does sound pretty clear that you have a demylinating disease..and MS is the most common of those.

I'm curious about the Beta in the fridge, though. Here in the US, the formulation we're using does not have to be refrigerated anymore...it's all in a self-contained pack that can sit in a cupboard until we pull it out. Is what you're using there, different?

McCarthy
01-11-2007, 07:15 AM
The box says store below 25 degrees C, which is pretty room-temperature like, and given the fridge is about 3-4 C thats WAY lower than it technically needs to be!

I live in the tropics though, I reckon during the day the interior of my house would probably push 40 or 45 C. ****, its about 27 outside now and its 10pm. I guess technically it doesn't have to be refrigerated, but I have no other way of keeping the bloody stuff below 25C!

The pharmacist said to keep it in the fridge, it came with its own little insulated carry bag too :)

lady_express_44
01-11-2007, 12:16 PM
But about the report! Some of you are very up on this so you might give me some more info maybe. Baically I have got MS and they all say so, I'm just interested in thoughts about this. Anyway ...

Being that I am queen of denial, amungst other things, I think I am qualified to advise of where you were led astray by the medical community (if you intended to remain a true denial-ist ~ or is that denial-ator?). The trick was to not let them do the MRI at all. :p (That worked for 12 yrs with me. :D)

Since you strike me as the kind of a guy who likes to look a pictures :p I thought you might enjoy these ones of the spine:

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a225/lady_express_44/cord.gif

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a225/lady_express_44/spinalcord.jpg

As far as enhanced lesions (foci) of the brain, as shown on a MRI, here are some bright shiny ones:

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a225/lady_express_44/lesions-mri.jpg

We won't ever get to see this view (thankfully, I reckon), but here's what a bad lesion might look like up close and personal:

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a225/lady_express_44/lesions.jpg

Ok, back to denial now . . .

Cherie