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Undergoing Radiotherapy For Lung Cancer. Brain MRI Shows Microvascular Gliosis. Need Explanation
Posted on
Sat, 23 Mar 2013
Medically reviewed by
Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team
Sat, 23 Mar 2013
Answered on
Fri, 12 Apr 2013
Last reviewed on
Question : my wife is undergoing radiation therapy for lung cancer. her oncologist ordered a brain mri as a precaution. one of the results from the report referred to microvascular gliosis. please explain a general overview. is it a result of radiation? is it usually permanent?
Hi
Microvascular disease is a process through which the very small branches of arteries become damaged.Gliosis is excess of astroglia in damaged areas of central nervous system.
It is not due to radiation therapy of lung cancer.
It is seen in many conditions like Migraine,high blood pressure,hardening of small arteries by atherosclerotic disease or sometimes in old or burned out multiple sclerosis.
As your wife's age is 62,it could be due to atherosclerosis.
So,these findings are incidental.
Nothing to worry.
Wish her good health and speedy recovery
Regards
Microvascular disease is a process through which the very small branches of arteries become damaged.Gliosis is excess of astroglia in damaged areas of central nervous system.
It is not due to radiation therapy of lung cancer.
It is seen in many conditions like Migraine,high blood pressure,hardening of small arteries by atherosclerotic disease or sometimes in old or burned out multiple sclerosis.
As your wife's age is 62,it could be due to atherosclerosis.
So,these findings are incidental.
Nothing to worry.
Wish her good health and speedy recovery
Regards
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
thank you, i will pass on your answer. Also, the finding showed "associated parenchymal loss on the right characteristic of a chronic subcortical infarction." 3-4 in number. also not associated with radiation and "normal" for her age? also, there was no evidence of metastatic disease. Should we not be concerned with brain function and focus on the lung cancer? radiation is done and one more chemo treatment left.
Hi
As the term 'chronic' suggests long duration,the associated parenchymal loss is also due to her age.
If her levels of consciouness,behaviour,movements of all the limbs are normal,you should not worry about brain function.
As metastasis to her brain has been excluded,please concentrate on the lung cancer treatment.
As Chemo treatment is planned,i wish her good health and speedy recovery
Regards
As the term 'chronic' suggests long duration,the associated parenchymal loss is also due to her age.
If her levels of consciouness,behaviour,movements of all the limbs are normal,you should not worry about brain function.
As metastasis to her brain has been excluded,please concentrate on the lung cancer treatment.
As Chemo treatment is planned,i wish her good health and speedy recovery
Regards
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
Answered by
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