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What Does My MRI Scan Test Report Indicate?

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Posted on Fri, 29 Apr 2016
Question: I haven't recieved the report for this head MRI, only a copy of the images. While looking through something struck me as odd. In an image there is a bunch of round dark gray masses under my jaw and down my neck. What is this?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Dariush Saghafi (42 minutes later)
Brief Answer:
Feel free to upload your images for review

Detailed Answer:
Good evening. Thank you for your question. I am very familiar with MRI images and see them daily of the head and neck. Having said that, it would be much more clear to me what you're talking about if you could upload the image you are referring to for clarity sake.

In MRI images, dark areas usually represent AIR or fluid spaces. However, this is also dependent upon which sequence you are looking at and that is why you really need to upload the image for a better assessment. In what you're looking at you could be looking at cuts through the esophagus for example, or the trachea which are below the jaw line....you could also be looking at the inferior portions of the oral cavity from your description.

Whatever the case I can assure you with near certainty that they are not of any clinical importance to you and therefore, should not cause any worry or hesitation on your part.

I hope this addresses your concerns and that you'll keep me in mind for future questions regarding these or other neurological/medical issues. Feel free to upload images if you'd like.

Otherwise, I'd appreciate your rating this interaction with a HIGH STAR SCORE and look forward to a few words of feedback. In addition, I'd appreciate your CLOSING THIS QUERY if you're satisfied with my response.

Write to me any time at: bit.ly/drdariushsaghafi for additional comments, concerns, or to provide status updates if you'd like which I would love to receive from you to see just what has been discovered.

Many thanks for using this service to ask your questions. Be well.

This consult request has taken a total of 12 minutes of time to read, research, and respond.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Dariush Saghafi (7 minutes later)
I have another post with the pictures. It's being silly and not letting me add them on here. Could you see that post as well?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Dariush Saghafi (7 hours later)
Brief Answer:
Muscles and soft tissue

Detailed Answer:
Thank you for directing me to the post with the pictures.

If I'm looking at the same place you are which is behind and under the jaw as well running down the back of the head and neck then, what you're looking at are soft tissues and muscles that form the facial expression and chewing muscle complex as well as the flexors and extensor muscle groups of the shoulders and neck.

The structures appear normal to me. Why was your head being imaged in the first place? Everything up north (intracranially that is) appears to be quite normal and intact.

I hope this addresses your concerns and that you'll keep me in mind for future questions regarding these or other neurological/medical issues. Feel free to upload images if you'd like.

Otherwise, I'd appreciate your rating this interaction with a HIGH STAR SCORE and look forward to a few words of feedback. In addition, I'd appreciate your CLOSING THIS QUERY if you're satisfied with my response.

Write to me any time at: bit.ly/drdariushsaghafi for additional comments, concerns, or to provide status updates if you'd like which I would love to receive from you to see just what has been discovered.

Many thanks for using this service to ask your questions. Be well.

This consult request has taken a total of 6 minutes of time to read, research, and respond.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
doctor
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Follow up: Dr. Dariush Saghafi (9 hours later)
Thanks for being so detailed! One more thing if you don't mind. I had a ct scan done and on the report said, "multiple small independent opacities in the lower right lung" what does this mean?
doctor
Answered by Dr. Dariush Saghafi (20 hours later)
Brief Answer:
CT scan of chest

Detailed Answer:
Thank you for your compliment.

I hope the information was useful. As far as the CT scan is concerned usually when there are findings of concern a radiologist will not only spot the findings and document them in the report but he/she will also recommend some type of follow-up study in order to characterize them a bit more such as one with contrast, acquisition of additional studies such as MRI or PET scan, biopsy, etc.

Since it doesn't sound as if any of those sorts of recommendations have been made then, I don't think it unreasonable to assume (without having seen the scan or the report) that these small nodular lesions are benign and are likely calcifications from a previous infection or other inflammatory process that you may have suffered a long time ago. If these are not calcifications or granulomas of some sort (nearly always benign in nature) then, they could be simple small pockets of air that may be present or they could be artifact as well.

You may wish to have a lung specialist actually examine you for a better understanding on whether or not this CT scan finding correlates to anything physical that may be going on though at your young age in apparently very good health I would be very surprised if this finding represented anything of a grave or significant nature.

I hope this addresses your concerns and that you'll keep me in mind for future questions regarding these or other neurological/medical issues.

I'd appreciate your rating this interaction with a HIGH STAR SCORE and look forward to a few words of feedback for others to read if you believe I've helped you understand some things a bit more. In addition, I'd appreciate your CLOSING THIS QUERY if you're satisfied with my response.

Write to me any time at: bit.ly/drdariushsaghafi for additional comments, concerns, or to provide status updates if you'd like which I would love to receive from you to see just what has been discovered.

If you'd like to open a new query directly to my attention regarding this CT scan for example, I would ask that you not only upload a copy of the report but also a digital copy of the scan itself for review. Please keep in mind that my specialization is NEUROLOGY but all the same, I am happy to look at the scan and the report and help you understand things more fully if you'd like.

Many thanks for using this service to ask your questions. Be well.

This consult request has taken a total of 43 minutes of time to read, research, and respond.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Chakravarthy Mazumdar
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Answered by
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Dr. Dariush Saghafi

Neurologist

Practicing since :1988

Answered : 2473 Questions

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What Does My MRI Scan Test Report Indicate?

Brief Answer: Feel free to upload your images for review Detailed Answer: Good evening. Thank you for your question. I am very familiar with MRI images and see them daily of the head and neck. Having said that, it would be much more clear to me what you're talking about if you could upload the image you are referring to for clarity sake. In MRI images, dark areas usually represent AIR or fluid spaces. However, this is also dependent upon which sequence you are looking at and that is why you really need to upload the image for a better assessment. In what you're looking at you could be looking at cuts through the esophagus for example, or the trachea which are below the jaw line....you could also be looking at the inferior portions of the oral cavity from your description. Whatever the case I can assure you with near certainty that they are not of any clinical importance to you and therefore, should not cause any worry or hesitation on your part. I hope this addresses your concerns and that you'll keep me in mind for future questions regarding these or other neurological/medical issues. Feel free to upload images if you'd like. Otherwise, I'd appreciate your rating this interaction with a HIGH STAR SCORE and look forward to a few words of feedback. In addition, I'd appreciate your CLOSING THIS QUERY if you're satisfied with my response. Write to me any time at: bit.ly/drdariushsaghafi for additional comments, concerns, or to provide status updates if you'd like which I would love to receive from you to see just what has been discovered. Many thanks for using this service to ask your questions. Be well. This consult request has taken a total of 12 minutes of time to read, research, and respond.