What MRI/CTA results would be consistent with epilepsy?

[ramona11]

I was looking over the MRI and CTA reports that I had done at Mayo and wondering what would epilepsy "look like" on an MRI or CTA? Does it vary greatly or are there certain expected finding? I would be happy to share mine but don't want to post a bunch of mumbo jumbo on here if they are not at all applicable to this forum. ;-)

Thanks!
Ramona

 

[ramona11]

OK, I do have a more specific question, as I have been looking over past copies of my reports. I had CTA's done one month apart - in November and December of last year. Granted, the second one WAS at Mayo Clinic and quite likely to be of a higher quality, but I found something on there that was not mentioned in any previous one and that was about the time frame that I started having problems. I can't really read this medical jargon and this may be nothing, but here is what it says:

Large amount of calcification along the anterior falx. Apparent extra-axial hypodensity adjacent to the left frontal lobe appears artifactual in nature and related to calvarial contour of this region.

The contour thing makes me think it is not significant? Not sure if I spelled all of those words correctly, but does any of that sound significant? I am trying to determine whether to take all of the copies of my MRI's to my appt or just the most recent.

Thanks
Ramona

 

[Nakamova]

The language of the report doesn't raise any red flags. "appears artifactual in nature" means that it may be caused by "noise" on the test rather than being a real indicator of any problem. Still, since some kinds of tests are open to interpretation, it can't hurt to take all the results to your appt and let the doc make the call about what is relevant.

Generally speaking, CT scans and MRIs aren't used to diagnose epilepsy, but instead to look for signs of trauma or structural issues (such as tumors, lesions or vascular abnormalities) that might cause epilepsy or correspond to a seizure focus. In patients with new-onset epilepsy, abnormalities that appear on an MRI can be predictive of seizure recurrence as well as the probability of lack of seizure control with medical therapy.

 

[resaebiunne]

I can't translate that jargon either. I would say to bring all your MRI results to your appointment. Anything that can help will benefit you in the long run as it will provide the doctors with the information they need to properly diagnose you and put you on the right medications.

That said, the MRI results for a person with epilepsy do not necessarily have to show brain abnormality. Epilepsy can be caused by many things other than brain abnormalities; however, brain abnormalities can cause seizures such as stroke or tumors, so this is what the MRI rules out.

 

[SniffleCat]

I trained in CT and as Nakamova said, the second sentence means that that specific finding was caused by the machine. So only the first sentence is significant. I don't know more than that though.

 

[ramona11]

And from what I have read, that first sentence is a pretty common finding... Not that I can interpret it, though. ;-)

 

[seagull]

Years ago I had Mir and it basically normal 6years later had another one and doc said my brain shrunk.Apparently this happens only to women menapausal time.This do not happen to men .Then last year I had another scan it showed spotting and signs of a stroke.scan was read again and doc said nothing on Mir.
If you not been recalled I would not worry if ain't broke don't mend it