General Category > Inquiries
MRI Question
clskrockdrummr:
Hi Everybody,
Here's a little background on me. I'm a 51 year old male. About three weeks ago I started experiencing dizzy spells and mild facial numbness in one cheek. I have had hearing loss and tinnitus in the ear on the same side as the numbness for many years. This ear also tends to get a clogged or plugged feeling during heavy physical exertion. The initial diagnoses many years ago was the the tinnitus and hearing loss were caused by my years of exposure to loud music from amps and my drumming playing in rock & roll bands. When the dizzy spells started I went to the internet and started investigating and when I found the symptoms for an acoustical neuroma I said whoa....I made an immediate appointment to see my doctor. I described all of my symptoms and told him about what WEB-MD described as the symptoms for an AN. He said ok...lets get an MRI done (which was done last Friday). My question is shouldn't he have ordered the MRI with contrast material??
Jim Scott:
Hi - and welcome.
The short answer to your question is: yes. However, although the contrast dye is helpful in imaging an acoustic neuroma, it is not absolutely necessary. The problem is when the AN is tiny - and some are at diagnosis - making them difficult to spot on the scan. That is why the contrast dye is recommended. I hope you don't have an AN but we're here for support if you do - and even if you don't. Please let us know the MRI results - whatever they are. Thanks.
Jim
Keeping Up:
Hello ...
I was told by my ENT that contrast isn't necessary (and he has a speciality in ANs) - it may be the 'gold standard' but isn't necessary for picking up tumors. I have a small tumor and can easily see tumor (and the inner ear mechanisms, very cool!!!!) in a MRI without a contrast.
I can't say I understand why some doctors use the contrast and others don't - however, in my case, I don't need it despite the very small tumor.
Don't fret - if you have good ENT (and maybe a newer, higher resolution MRI machine - my only conclusion for not using contrast), you are more than likely in good hands.
Ann
Suu:
--- Quote from: clskrockdrummr on April 04, 2011, 04:25:13 pm ---Hi Everybody,
I described all of my symptoms and told him about what WEB-MD described as the symptoms for an AN. He said ok...lets get an MRI done (which was done last Friday).
--- End quote ---
Hi drummer
Have you got the results yet? All is crossed that it's negative but if it should turn out to be an AN then please come back and let us help you through it?
Regards,
♥ ´)
.•´¸.•*´¨) ¸.•♥ ¨)
(,.•´ (.♥ •´ *Suu
clskrockdrummr:
Hi All,
I appreciate the warm welcome and the well wishes. I haven't gotten the results yet. I will post them as soon as I do. I'll be surprised if it's not an AN. My sister had one so it's in the family genes. Plus reading the posts on this site...It's amazing to me how similar my symptoms are to many of the ones being described by different folks here. The hearing loss, the tinnitus, the light headed and dizzy feelings, the "wonky & wobbly" feelings, the dull headaches, the mental fog, the sometimes sideways gait, being tired through the day even though I got eight or more hours of sleep the night before, the diminishing ability to concentrate, etc, etc... None of the symptoms I have are debilitating but they do have a profoundly negative effect on my quality of life. I'm hoping for the best but fearing the worst. To be honest I'll be pretty scared if it's not an AN...what else in the world could be causing all these symptoms if it's not. The internet can manage to work up a great deal of anxiety when you start searching symptoms.
Navigation
[0] Message Index
[#] Next page
Go to full version