!Info between asterisks is my history, why I got MRI/MRA. Info past asterisks is what I have questions about. I do, btw, have a pineal mass of 1 cm & from all the research so far I’ll just have to suffer with the head pain (which is very, very real) and memory problems. Read kitsapsun.com/news/2007/aug/23/a-tough-choice-suquamish-woman-chooses-surgical
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Hi all. I’ve had sudden localized-at-first-then-spreading migraines that have intensified from a few times a week to every other day for the past 4 years. Every day I am aware of a localized pain on the rt side of head way above ear…like a toothache or nerve-type pain. Hurts when I bend over suddenly, run, exercise, talk too much (lol) etc. These symptoms are the reason for the MRI/MRA. I also have pain behind my rt eye that comes and goes with and without headaches. For years I’ve been fatigued all the time, and it just gets worse. I need 12 hours of sleep and still feel groggy (not on meds). Last year I had twins and developed a very serious case of HELLP syndrome and I had to get an emergency C-section, I wonder if me getting hellp could be the result of an autoimmune disorder? I also have a history of mild hypertension since age 13, and have been on meds since the HELLP syndrome because it is more than mild now.
I went to the neurologist last month (2009), and he ordered some tests and asked to see me in five weeks. I will see him on Jun 24. My blood work was normal, except the ELISA test showed ANA (mixed homogeneous and speckled pattern) of 1:80 which I understand is both positive and of questionable significance. When I was pregnant and got the same test to screen for HIV in September of 2007, it showed up as well and HIV was ruled out. My grandmother has been diagnosed for decades with lupus (she is in very bad health as of now), and my mother is diagnosed with hyperthyroidism and shows many symptoms Graves’ disease.
I supplied this information above because on other forums people get agitated when someone lists MRI results with no relative history and they tend not to answer. I do understand about the 1 CM pineal mass that was found on my right side…there is CSF intensity mass at the pineal. This is measuring aprox. A centimeter in size. It is very well circumscribed. On the post-contrast images there is some enhancement in the area of this mass, but I believe it is likely related to adjacent venous structures and the findings are not conclusive for enhancement of the mass itself or a solid component. This is likely a pineal cyst. Neoplasia such as pineocytoma is felt to be less likely. Here are some of the anomalies I do not understand:
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There is some signal at the basal ganglia felt to be probable prominent Virchow-Robin spaces. (does this have anything to do with an autoimmune disorder? I haven’t found much good info on the Net about this).
There is a small focus of signal posterior cerebral artery on the right just distal to its take off I (the radiologist) believe related to vascular ectasia not conclusive for aneurysm on the study. (what does this mean??)
In the world of pineal masses, is 1 cm small? Is it too small to cause the intense pressure and nerve pain on the right side of my head 3 inches above my ear?
Thanks to anyone who *kindly* responds.
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Hi all. I’ve had sudden localized-at-first-then-spreading migraines that have intensified from a few times a week to every other day for the past 4 years. Every day I am aware of a localized pain on the rt side of head way above ear…like a toothache or nerve-type pain. Hurts when I bend over suddenly, run, exercise, talk too much (lol) etc. These symptoms are the reason for the MRI/MRA. I also have pain behind my rt eye that comes and goes with and without headaches. For years I’ve been fatigued all the time, and it just gets worse. I need 12 hours of sleep and still feel groggy (not on meds). Last year I had twins and developed a very serious case of HELLP syndrome and I had to get an emergency C-section, I wonder if me getting hellp could be the result of an autoimmune disorder? I also have a history of mild hypertension since age 13, and have been on meds since the HELLP syndrome because it is more than mild now.
I went to the neurologist last month (2009), and he ordered some tests and asked to see me in five weeks. I will see him on Jun 24. My blood work was normal, except the ELISA test showed ANA (mixed homogeneous and speckled pattern) of 1:80 which I understand is both positive and of questionable significance. When I was pregnant and got the same test to screen for HIV in September of 2007, it showed up as well and HIV was ruled out. My grandmother has been diagnosed for decades with lupus (she is in very bad health as of now), and my mother is diagnosed with hyperthyroidism and shows many symptoms Graves’ disease.
I supplied this information above because on other forums people get agitated when someone lists MRI results with no relative history and they tend not to answer. I do understand about the 1 CM pineal mass that was found on my right side…there is CSF intensity mass at the pineal. This is measuring aprox. A centimeter in size. It is very well circumscribed. On the post-contrast images there is some enhancement in the area of this mass, but I believe it is likely related to adjacent venous structures and the findings are not conclusive for enhancement of the mass itself or a solid component. This is likely a pineal cyst. Neoplasia such as pineocytoma is felt to be less likely. Here are some of the anomalies I do not understand:
**********************************************
There is some signal at the basal ganglia felt to be probable prominent Virchow-Robin spaces. (does this have anything to do with an autoimmune disorder? I haven’t found much good info on the Net about this).
There is a small focus of signal posterior cerebral artery on the right just distal to its take off I (the radiologist) believe related to vascular ectasia not conclusive for aneurysm on the study. (what does this mean??)
In the world of pineal masses, is 1 cm small? Is it too small to cause the intense pressure and nerve pain on the right side of my head 3 inches above my ear?
Thanks to anyone who *kindly* responds.
A 1 cm mass is large enough to cause intense pressure and pain. YOu have to realize that 1 cm is about the size of a dime, and anything like that in the pineal area would cause a lot of pain. I think you might consider yourself lucky that you don't have more pain than you already do. Does anyone else have any answers?