Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Support Group
This community is a place where members can discuss current events and weigh in on what's going on in the world.
I've been off this site for quite some time now, and can't remember if I had previously asked about this or not, so here it goes (again?): I've been a Type 1 brittle diabetic since 1973. Back in 2007, I had an MRI done on my brain, both with, and without contrast. The radiology report stated that it showed plaque on my brain suggestive of MS in someone my age. However, when I saw a Neurologist, I was told that the plaque on my brain was due to the brittle diabetes.( This was after the doctor looked at the MRI and talked with me, and did NO OTHER TESTS.) Have any of you ever been told this, or even heard of such??
I didn't help for him...i'm not sure if he is using anything.
But he has Type 1 diabetes and he believes his diagnosis was delayed because although he had lesions on an MRI they blamed them on his Diabetes.
There is a site that shows MRI pictures of "aging Brains" and use a Fazekas classification
Fazekas I : small punctate lesions in the deep white matter.
Fazekas II : larger WMLs that are beginning to become confluent.
Fazekas III : extensive confluent WMLs.
Fazekas I is considered normal in aging.
Fazekas II is considered abnormal in patients < 75 Years.
Fazekas III is abnormal in any age group.
These WMLs are probably due to microangiopathy and seen more frequently in patients with vascular risk factors .
Scroll down until you see this entry
http://www.radiologyassistant.nl/en/4556dea65db62#p4594f74ccbf19
AND we all have to remember that MRI's are stil "relaytively" new. And often they don't know what they mean.
An MRI is just a snapshot picture of the brain that a person interprets what the picture means. The only certain way to know what the picture is showing is by autopsy, before that its just a guess. A good guess with experience behind it but still its a guess.
The best way for me to describe what i mean. Is by the experience of my 2 year old niece. A baby at the time.She got a UTI that is very rare in infants. So her pediatrician ordered a MRI which showed cysts in her bladder. The pediatrician said we don't know if this is normal or abnormal we don't have have enough history with this, but now that we know they are their we are gonna keep an eye in it. It could be just a normal part of development and they will go away, but we don't know what it means so we will watch it periodically.
I have never heard of plaques on the brain caused by diabetes but you may have to talk to another doctor about this.
I did hear about local woman who has clear plaques on her brain caused by a small brain tumors (it is a long drawn out discussion and I don't know all of it but it is brain tumors). And her plaques are clear. My MS plaques are white or perhaps you could say clear depending on the way you look at them. So plaques can be caused by other things but diabetes??? I don't think so.
But sounds like he/she should have ordered definitive tests to rule MS in or out. I have learned to be my own advocate. A doctor is only practicing on you. Speak up and often!! They don't all know what they are doing and they have to work fast. So best to ask more questions.