Originally the neuro I saw wanted a brain MRI to further explore the extent of my Chiari malformation which was found but this MRI revealed more than I could have guessed and after 5 minutes with me I knew he didn't read the report and didn't know what to do.Please help! Here is what the report says: Right parietal ventricular catheter which appears to terminate adjacent to the right frontal horn. (I do have a ventriculoatrial shunt due to hydrocephalus but not sure what the comment on the report is really saying...is it normal?) There is near complete decompression of the right lateral ventricle.(complete decompression good or bad?) The splenium of the corpuscallosum is diminutive in size. There are encephalomalacic changes at the medial aspect of the right parietal lobe with mild surrounding gliosis. Additional changes at the posterolateral aspect of the right temporal lobe. There is inferior displacement of the cerebellar tonsils at 8-9mm below the foramen magnum. White matter signals abnormality along the course of the catheter within the right parietal lobe. There is asymmetric fullnesswithin the right lobe of the pituitary glandwith inferior displacement of the floor of the sella. Expected proximal flow voids the major intracranial structures appear grossly patent and the skull ba
2015-02-05 04:49:49
Hi! I know you must be really worried. In your case an isolated MRI finding is not very informative about the course of your disease. You have Chiari malformation and hydrocephalus. Hence you need to compare this with a previous MRI to know whether the situation is improving or worsening. Maybe your doctor looked at relevant things and felt there was no advancement in disease or that noting else can be done. In adults inferior displacement of the cerebellar tonsils 5mm or below the foramen magnum is likely to cause symptoms so 8-9mm descent will definitely cause symptoms. Also signal intensities occur due to trauma caused by ventricular catheter placement. Parietal placement of this catheter is usually into the frontal horn of lateral ventricle and in your case it is adjacent to the frontal horn. However there is a near complete decompression of the right ventricle which is an isolated good sign. The medial aspect of right parietal lobe has become dead and soft (encephalomalacia) and nothing can be done to reverse it. There may be a pituitary adenoma which is displacing the sellar floor. Yes you need to see a neurosurgeon. However the specialist would need your old MRIs for comparison. I sincerely hope you will find this information useful. Good Luck and take care!
2015-02-05 04:50:16
