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What Does My MRI Scan Test Report Indicate?

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Posted on Mon, 7 Mar 2016
Question: Yes. My husband has since had an MRI of his brain that showed 2 areas of concern (after seeing his internist.) Also wore a heart monitor for 2 days that showed no abnormalities. He is waiting impatiently for appt w/neurologist. He has blood seepage in 1 area in his brain & a cavernous malformation in a 2nd area. If you can give me any info on these I'd be grateful. Thank you for your earlier info. It was dead on w/what we later learned.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Olsi Taka (9 hours later)
Brief Answer:
Read below

Detailed Answer:
Hello again. I am sorry if you had to wait for an answer but it was posted when I was asleep. I guess other colleagues saw it was addressed to me and chose not to answer.

Now it seems that the episode was a seizure. Both a bleed and the cavernoma (cavernous malformation) may cause seizures. The cause is probably the acute bleed, but the neurologist may want to do an EEG to investigate on the localization of abnormal electrical activity. If there is such marked activity anti-epileptic medication may be started to prevent further seizures.

The second point to clear is the cause of that bleed. It could be another cavernoma as it is not uncommon for them to be multiple. But it could also be a spontaneous bleed due to small vessel changes of blood vessels with age, could be a trauma from falling to the floor (if seizure was caused by the 2nd area cavernoma), or another malformation altogether.
Now the MRI report should give some indication on that. But if it is unclear the origin of the bleed then an exam called cerebral angiography may be done or another control angio MRI in a few months time when the blood will be absorbed and the view clearer.
Management if from trauma or spontaneous will be to do nothing apart treating risk factors for vessel changes like hypertension, if some other malformation will be discussed accordingly.

Regarding cavernoma in the 2nd area management. One possibility if it is not considered responsible for the seizure or the bleed may be to do nothing. That is because the risk of them rupturing is small, 0.5-1% per year when superficial, higher when deeply located. So while in a young patient with small surgery risk it may be intervened because that % of rupture risk accumulates over decades, in an elderly patient it may be left as it is. One exception would be if it causes repeated seizures despite medical treatment, in that occasion if possible it is operated.
If the 1st bleed is caused from a cavernoma as well the situation is different. That is because if a cavernoma has bled once the risk of rebleeding is higher, numbers vary among studies from 4-25% per year. So in that case it may be intervened if your husband is in good health and has no other conditions limiting his life expectancy. The preferred method is traditional open surgery. Only if in deep location inaccessible by surgery a focused radiotherapy, called Stereotactic radiosurgery may be done.

I understand it may be too much right now, too many ifs and buts. That is partly because I do not have the full MRI report, but also because there are many different considerations to be made, many variables to be considered (age, other conditions, cause of bleed, bleeding risks which depend on location etc). Often with vascular malformations of the brain, if is not a question of finding a perfect risk free solution, but of weighing all factors and make the decision with less risk, sort of choosing the minor evil.

I remain at your disposal for other questions.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Olsi Taka (18 hours later)
Thank you for the info. It is very informative while my husband waits for an appt w/a neurologist.
doctor
Answered by Dr. Olsi Taka (3 hours later)
Brief Answer:
Thank you!

Detailed Answer:
Thank you for the appreciative words. I hope things will work out for the best.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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Answered by
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Dr. Olsi Taka

Neurologist

Practicing since :2004

Answered : 3673 Questions

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What Does My MRI Scan Test Report Indicate?

Brief Answer: Read below Detailed Answer: Hello again. I am sorry if you had to wait for an answer but it was posted when I was asleep. I guess other colleagues saw it was addressed to me and chose not to answer. Now it seems that the episode was a seizure. Both a bleed and the cavernoma (cavernous malformation) may cause seizures. The cause is probably the acute bleed, but the neurologist may want to do an EEG to investigate on the localization of abnormal electrical activity. If there is such marked activity anti-epileptic medication may be started to prevent further seizures. The second point to clear is the cause of that bleed. It could be another cavernoma as it is not uncommon for them to be multiple. But it could also be a spontaneous bleed due to small vessel changes of blood vessels with age, could be a trauma from falling to the floor (if seizure was caused by the 2nd area cavernoma), or another malformation altogether. Now the MRI report should give some indication on that. But if it is unclear the origin of the bleed then an exam called cerebral angiography may be done or another control angio MRI in a few months time when the blood will be absorbed and the view clearer. Management if from trauma or spontaneous will be to do nothing apart treating risk factors for vessel changes like hypertension, if some other malformation will be discussed accordingly. Regarding cavernoma in the 2nd area management. One possibility if it is not considered responsible for the seizure or the bleed may be to do nothing. That is because the risk of them rupturing is small, 0.5-1% per year when superficial, higher when deeply located. So while in a young patient with small surgery risk it may be intervened because that % of rupture risk accumulates over decades, in an elderly patient it may be left as it is. One exception would be if it causes repeated seizures despite medical treatment, in that occasion if possible it is operated. If the 1st bleed is caused from a cavernoma as well the situation is different. That is because if a cavernoma has bled once the risk of rebleeding is higher, numbers vary among studies from 4-25% per year. So in that case it may be intervened if your husband is in good health and has no other conditions limiting his life expectancy. The preferred method is traditional open surgery. Only if in deep location inaccessible by surgery a focused radiotherapy, called Stereotactic radiosurgery may be done. I understand it may be too much right now, too many ifs and buts. That is partly because I do not have the full MRI report, but also because there are many different considerations to be made, many variables to be considered (age, other conditions, cause of bleed, bleeding risks which depend on location etc). Often with vascular malformations of the brain, if is not a question of finding a perfect risk free solution, but of weighing all factors and make the decision with less risk, sort of choosing the minor evil. I remain at your disposal for other questions.