Author Topic: Left Vertebral Artery is Dominant!  (Read 23041 times)

JWW

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 80
Left Vertebral Artery is Dominant!
« on: August 17, 2014, 06:16:11 pm »
I had my second MRI after SRS for my AN (July 31, 2012) this past August 11, 2014.
It is now 1 cm longitudinal by 8.1 mm greatest AP dimension by 7 mm height. Necrotic region measures 2mm in diameter. There is increased signal in the left membranous labyrinth on the FLAIR images suggesting proteinaceous fluid and post treatment changes.

The rest of the brain is stable. The left veterbral artery is dominant.

I have been looking up "left vertebral artery is dominant" and I am panicking because I feel that means I am one step from having a stroke! Scared. I see the doctor on August the 25th. Since the doctor has not called, I assume I am OK?

I have been taking Sudafed 30 mg. daily for months trying to keep my head from feeling congested. I have lost a lot of my hearing in the AN side since last year. It was excellent before.

Has anyone every had " Left Vertebral Artery is Dominant" on their MRI before?

JWW
« Last Edit: August 17, 2014, 09:05:11 pm by JWW »

ANGuy

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 438
Re: Left Vertebral Artery is Dominant!
« Reply #1 on: August 18, 2014, 07:05:07 pm »
I have no idea what this language in the report means.  But, I would not worry about it at all until your Dr tells you to worry about it.  Very often these types of notations have no bearing on anything and are simply things that the radiologist made note of.  There is enough worrisome stuff on our plates already that we don't need to go out of our way to find things to worry about.

On my first MRI was a notation about some type of "scattered focci T-2 something or other".  I googled it and the terminology is used to describe issues involving strokes.  I just about gave myself a stroke reading all of the stuff on the internet.  When I got to the nuero and asked him, he told me that the "scattered" part meant that it was NOT a sign of a stroke and that in his opinion, which is more valuable than the radiologist, there was no sign of the stuff in the images anyway.  Basically, he was politely saying that the radiologist was incorrect and even irresponsible for putting it in the report.

So, don't worry about it unless your Dr tells you to worry about it.
Diagnosed June 2014 1cm AN at 47 years of age.  Had fluctuating symptoms since 2006.    6 mos MRI (Dec 2014) showed no growth, MRI  in July 2015 showed no growth.  MRI Jan 2016 showed no growth.  MRI Aug 2016 showed no growth.  I'm gonna ride the WW train as long as I can.

JWW

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 80
Re: Left Vertebral Artery is Dominant!
« Reply #2 on: August 18, 2014, 08:28:34 pm »
Thanks ANGuy!!!

PaulW

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 772
Re: Left Vertebral Artery is Dominant!
« Reply #3 on: August 19, 2014, 03:28:35 pm »
Ask your doctor about this...
This is my understanding of it...
I am not a doctor.
Apparently about 4% of the population are born with one artery bigger than the other.
Apparently this is not a problem.... Unless your right artery is too small.
They didn't mention this in the MRI so that's good..

It is thought that being born with arteries of different size may increase the risk of migraine and vestibular problems. Investigation into increased stroke risk is continuing but not conclusive.
The important thing here is that it increases your risk factor... It doesn't mean you will get it.



« Last Edit: August 19, 2014, 03:44:44 pm by PaulW »
10x5x5mm AN
Sudden Partial hearing loss 5/28/10
Diagnosed 7/4/10
CK 7/27/10
2/21/11 Swelling 13x6x7mm
10/16/11 Hearing returned, balance improved. Feel totally back to normal most days
3/1/12 Sudden Hearing loss, steroids, hearing back.
9/16/13 Life is just like before my AN. ALL Good!

JWW

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 80
Re: Left Vertebral Artery is Dominant!
« Reply #4 on: August 20, 2014, 07:29:25 am »
Thank you for your input PaulW.....I really appreciate what you said.

Another question for you Paul, since I have lost half of my hearing in my AN side in one year (going from excellent), I am going to ask my radiation oncologist on Monday if I should try a dose pack of steroids to bring it back? There is fluid in the AN area and 2 mm of necrotic area. Taking that in to consideration, one of my AN dimensions increased from 6 mm to 8 mm most likely from the necrotic area pushing on the existing left over AN.

The drawback of getting my hearing back is: 1. I will hear my husband snore at night (lol) 2. The TV will bother me more when I am on the computer! (lol)

JWW

PaulW

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 772
Re: Left Vertebral Artery is Dominant!
« Reply #5 on: August 27, 2014, 02:15:28 pm »
Steroids for hearing loss is most effective if started within 24-48 hours I believe.
They are powerful drugs and taking them should not be taken lightly..

There is still some question over how effective steroids are for hearing loss with acoustic neuromas especially in the long term.

My doctor won't prescribe them, unless pushed. His long term hearing preservation rates are the same as doctors that do prescribe them..

His thoughts are that they don't work long term....

Personally I have taken them, and also not taken them for hearing loss, and I really have no idea if they worked or not. Because my hearing came back in both instances.
10x5x5mm AN
Sudden Partial hearing loss 5/28/10
Diagnosed 7/4/10
CK 7/27/10
2/21/11 Swelling 13x6x7mm
10/16/11 Hearing returned, balance improved. Feel totally back to normal most days
3/1/12 Sudden Hearing loss, steroids, hearing back.
9/16/13 Life is just like before my AN. ALL Good!

thedales7

  • New Member
  • *
  • Posts: 21
Re: Left Vertebral Artery is Dominant!
« Reply #6 on: August 28, 2014, 07:29:18 am »
My left artery is dominant too.  I think they make note of that to explain why it looks larger than the other.  They also always point out that my right artery is "diminutive in size" to the left.  They say it's a normal variant.
3mm? (I was in such shock i can't remember! )intracochlear AN/ intralabyrintnine schwannoma right ear
60% low and mid frequency hearing loss
Watch and wait

JWW

  • Jr. Member
  • **
  • Posts: 80
Re: Left Vertebral Artery is Dominant!
« Reply #7 on: August 28, 2014, 07:52:03 am »
Thank you again thedales7 and PaulW, I am feeling better about this being a "normal variant".
I'd rather not take steroids PaulW because I tend to be hypersensitive to sound and in some ways this works in my favor. It is frustrating to ask people to repeat what they are saying, esp. my husband and people on the phone.

JWW

Steven Giannotta

  • Newbie
  • *
  • Posts: 1
Re: Left Vertebral Artery is Dominant!
« Reply #8 on: September 02, 2014, 02:22:38 pm »
Actually it is much less common that the vertebral arteries are exactly the same size, and most people have the left side as dominant (bigger).  I'm sure the radiologist did not mean to imply that anything is wrong.  SG