EEG or MRI?

[holly]

ok guys so just had my appointment with the dr yesterday and after pondering our discussion i want to know if you think i should just forget the EEG and go for the MRI?.... dr is pushing it and now i dont know what to do.... which one and why??? ugh

 

[masterjen]

The best answer is to get both done. Did your doctor say why you have to choose one or the other??

 

[chmmr]

i agree with masterjen. You need both. The EEG can locate where an abnormality is coming from and shows electrical abnormalities but an MRI shows only structural abnormalities. You could have an abnormal eeg and a normal MRI and still have epilepsy, or you could have a normal eeg (because sometimes it can't pick up the abnormalities either because they are too deep in the brain or you aren't having sharp waves/seizures at that time) and an abnormal MRI or both could be abnormal or both normal. Long story short is that you need both to help really figure out what is going on and why and how to treat it, especially if your neuro is pretty confident you have seizures.

 

[Crash]

I also agree with masterjen and chmmr that you should have both the EEG and the MRI done.It's part off the process to have both done and you should certainly have have that right.I know i had both done without any discussion.Stick to your guns holly and get both procedures done.Don't let your doctor bully you into this or that,you deserve all the help and information possible especially when dealing with such an unknown quantity as epilepsy

 

[holly]

Thank you guys,
my Dr was pushing the MRI I guess because he isn't a Nero and doesn't like the symptoms im having, he said to me are you anxious... im like im always stressed take a look at my life at a snip and you tell me you wouldn't be stressed/exhausted? I never ever stop but for maybe a coffee and a snack from 5.45am till midnight or 1am depending on when im done cleaning and doing the laundry and getting the 4 older kids ready for school the next day! and doing my paperwork (own a business) and I never sleep a full night as my little one wakes 2-5 times a night ... haha, he said there are so many possibility's even tho I had what he said was most likely an absence in his office, he wants to do the process of elimination, I understand that, I was just curious if there was one that may be better for diagnosis than the other ....... but I will still have my EEG Monday ... and then have the MRI and keep pushing, I just feel like im being pathetic ... but this is effecting me and my kids and husband, and as I described to my dr I have no "worry" but is there a chance my "auras" are just panic attacks even with the symptoms being so classic of epilepsy??

omg now its time to question myself over and over as I do, I just don't want to waste anyone's time ya know and I hate feeling like I have to question myself because no one understands what "im" going through ..... and trying to explain it to my hubs / family is draining in itself ... I have to say tho my episodes of absence happen more if im stressed, being in supermarkets, too long at my computer, even the sunlight through trees when in the car bothers me really bad, and this may sound crazy but if im having a meeting where I have to concentrate and remain focused is IMPOSSIBLE, I get that detatched feeling and tingling on my skin feeling ugh!

 

[MrE]

I think a more appropriate question would be which procedure is less awful lol...a lot of people are claustrophobic and can't stand being in the MRI machine for too long if at all...thankfully I can...last MRI I had done there was headphones/music available I guess to help keep you distracted from the enclosed space...it actually seems to pass the time quicker...which is nice because when you are focusing on something you don't like and want it to end as quickly as possible it seems like it's taking forever...anyway...the EEG on the other hand is almost unbearable to me...I can only stand the first few flashes then I'M DONE! I hope you can tolerate it longer than me though Holly...more information is always helpful to help figure out and treat whatever is going on...all the best!

 

[daviscy60]

I've had several EEG's and a few CT scans… never an MRI. I have an appointment with neuro in a couple of weeks. Should this be a good question for her? Why I have never had MRI and what difference would it show between CT scan and MRI?

 

[holly]

good question, the mri i believe you get injected with a liquid metalic properies i think, that show how and where blood flow is isnt good, i think haha i dont know fully

 

[Nakamova]

The MRI is usually done to rule out any obvious structural brain issues (like a blood vein malformation or a tumor) that may be causing the seizures or seizure-like symptoms. But the vast majority of people with epilepsy have normal MRIs, so it won't necessarily rule in or out an epilepsy diagnosis or pinpoint a primary cause. Both the MRI and the EEG are standard tests recommended when epilepsy is suggested.

There are different kinds of MR-tests. A basic MRI doesn't require anything to be injected -- it's just the fancy magnetic picture taken while you are in the noisy tube. An MRA does involve the injection of a liquid to help provide a picture of blood flow in particular areas of the brain.