What is Aneurysms
An aneurysm (or aneurism) is localized, blood-filled dilation (bulge) of a blood vessel caused by disease or weakening of the vessel wall.[1] Aneurysms most commonly occur in arter...
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Well, July 2009, I was told in my MRI they saw a "suspicion" of an aneurysm. I was sent the next day, (on a Saturday) for an MRA. The MRA saw three aneurysms. No more suspicion. Apparently, one of the aneurysms is 2.2mm, one is 3mm, and one is 4mm. All pretty small. They are concerned most with the 4mm. When I saw my neurologist, I went in a nervous wreck and the only thing he had to talk about was my headaches. He never even mentioned the aneurysms. I start asking him about these aneurysms and he says to me that the two small ones are of no concern and the 4mm is a fusiform aneurysm, and there is very small chance of rupture and therefore nothing they can do about it so I must just go on living as if there is nothing there. I was floored at this comment and I demanded that he refer me to someone who could give me a better answer than this. He sent me to a neurosurgeon who saw me and I then was sent for a CAT Scan. When I saw him, he said the CAT Scan showed that I only had one aneurysm. I don't understand how this could be possible. I expressed my disbelief to him, and he referred me to a cerebrovascular neurosurgeon two hours away from my house. When I saw him, he looked over all of my tests, and said that I definitly have three aneurysms, two of them are very small, but they are there, and they can be dangerous depending on the size, shape and position. He decided on doing an angiogram with my permission. I agreed, and went back this past Monday. He performed the procedure himself, did a wonderful job, but now I am more confused than ever, because he said I have NO aneurysms! What the hell does this mean??? How can these things be there and then not be there? Is this possible??? I am so lost now... Someone please give me some advice. Thanks for reading, and sorry for such a long post.. Love and blessings to you all!!!!
Laura Posted on 11/07/09, 07:11 am |
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I just read your post and my husband read it too. We do not know how three different tests can show three different results. Your tests time wise were close together. I had a catscan that did not show anything and a few months later I had an MRA. Aneurysm was found. Had it coiled and things are mending. Go again in a few weeks for an angiogram. Two years ago I had a ruptured brain aneurysm. Just hope and pray for you that it is taken care of and things get better. Our daughter is going through the same thing right now and waiting to see a neurologist to read her test results. She has been waiting 2 years to get these tests and see if she has an aneurysm. 
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Hi Laura
I don't blame you for being upset and confused The angeogran is the best test indicator of seeing an aneurysm, its location, size, everything about it. the scans and MRA's can pick up on things that sometimes look like annies but turn out to be a shadow or other anomaly. It happened to me, the docs first thought I had 3 of them, including the one that ruptured, it turned out the one was a shadow or something and on further inspection was not an aneurysm. To totally ease your mind you may want a 2nd opinion. In my experience the CAT scans are the least accurate in showing a true aneurysm, too many blimps and shadows can be misinterpreted and cerebreal angeograms are the best to show one. I would get another opinion, Ruthie
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Well, I called the last Dr.s office yesterday, and spoke with his assistant. I told her about how confused I felt at the fact that I now supposedly have No aneurysms. She explained to me that with the angiogram they can see the pictures on a screen as a 3-D type picture and actually move the picture around. What they were able to see, was that the area that they were looking at which was thought to be a 4mm fusiform anuerysm was actually a blood vessel that starts off as a normal blood vessel and then splits in two branching off with a space in between and then in comes together again. She said it is not a very common thing, but it will not cause me a problem. They want to repeat an MRI/Mra in a year to make sure there is no change. I am still confused as all hell!!! I have never heard of such a thing...
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I have had a similar experience. I was diagnosed with a 5mm and a 2mm aneurysm in Feb 2008 (CT, MRI, MRA and angiogram). The 5mm was irrefutable and I had coiling surgery done on it. The neurosurgeon later told me he was unsure whether the 2mm is really an aneurysm at all. Whereas the bigger ones really show up in the pictures, smaller ones are harder to diagnose. Apparently we have inconsequential loops and abnormalities in blood vessels that sometimes can look like aneurysms in the two-dimensional pictures they record. If you read the fine print, they "suspect" aneurysms as opposed to "diagnose" them.
So I don't know for sure what that little one is. They usually don't treat very small aneuryms anyway because the risk of doing harm is greater than the risk of rupture. Not to be ignored, but not to be acted on either. So it really doesn't matter except for keeping a watch on it. Ron
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