How to show images on RDLC report?

Help reading MRA angiography report?

• Can someone help me read my brain mrA report? it's confusing bc it says that it's a normal report but then there's abnormality. Im only going to type the parts that seem abnormAl. Just a little background: I had an MRI of the brain done and that revealed a Mini lacunar stroke. Then my doc got a Doppler done and he said I had blockAge in my Arteries and so then he told me to get a brAin MRA angiography. Here is the report: FLAIR images of the brain demonstrate a few tiny punctate foci of increased signal intensity within the subcortical white matter of both frontal lobes. No other area of abnormal signal intensity is present within the brain parenchymA. There is no area of restricted diffusion within the brAin to indicate acute infarction. No mass lesion or extra axial fluid collection is present. CONCLUSION: 1. Normal MR angiOgram of the brain. Specifically there is no evidence of focal stenosis In the region of the left anterior cerebrAl artery circulation 2. There are a few tiny high T2 signal intensity foci scattered the sub cortical white matter of both frontal lobes. This represents a non specific finding with the most likely etiology being areas of gliosis to prior ischemia or inflammation. This finding may be seen in the context of migrAine headaches. There is no brain edema or restricted diffusion to indicate acute infarctiOn Can anybody help????? I don't get why the Doppler saw blockage And this doesn't show anything. Wuts up with foci? I'm 25 years old and any help would be appreciated.

• Answer:

  You have been blessed with a normal MRA. The doctor had you get the MRA to give him more information that the Doppler because it is a superior method of imaging. There is no blockage (which would show up as an area of stenosis, i.e., narrowing due to blockage), in the left anterior cerebral artery, and that is excellent news. There is no evidence of a recent stroke (i.e., an area of restricted diffusion to indicate acute infarction). That is also excellent news. You have had a possible TIA in the past, i.e., a mini-stroke. These are not uncommon at all - even in the young adult age group - and they are simply indications to have more extensive testing done. They may cause transient symptoms (i.e., at the moment you had it you had a vision change or a headache) but they do NOT cause residual symptoms, i.e., symptoms that you will be feeling presently or ever, other than the fact that most people (especially at your young age) who have had them get a little freaked out...it rattles their confidence and it scares them and they have a lot of fear about symptoms that may be evidence of past damage and/or overmonitor themselves for future symptoms. But you can rest assured...your doctor has done a great job of examining you through two methods, i.e., a Doppler and then a followup MRA. These showed you didn't have a stroke and you aren't at risk for having one any time soon. There is no better news that you could get. I think it's also important for you to consider the fact that you may not have even had a mini-stroke. Those little tiny increased areas of increased intensity may also just be artifact, i.e., the room was too humid, you wiggled a little, etc). Of course they MAY be residual tiny punctate scars from a TIA (i.e., ischemia), MS (an example of an inflammatory process) or associated with (probably evidence of rather than causes of) migraine headaches, which the radiologist seems to be allowing. But more people do have these spots than don't. I hope you can feel reassured about your MRA and the fact that you have a healthy brain! Sorry about the headaches I think you're having...those are a bummer, and I know when you're having one, it feels like your brain must be dying. :( They run in my family. But at least you don't have to worry that they're caused by damage and/or doing damage to you. EDITED TO ADD: If you don't want the "life" lecture, I will try to restrain myself. :) But if you don't enjoy life and wish it was over already, why don't you try doing something drastic. I mean you don't have anything to lose, right? Join the military and disarm bombs or rush into battle on the front lines to save another soldier. Join the Peace Corps and let them fly you to Afghanistan where you go to bullet-ridden areas and dig a well. Or at a minimum, take the computer you're on right now and give it to an inner city kid, give your shoes to Good Will. Walk across the United States carrying a sign about the meaninglessness of a self-centered life. I understand you may not have any interest in doing these things, but you're not interested in doing anything else, so you have nothing to lose. If you're willing to throw your life away, you might as well do it in a way that matters for somebody else. Don't be a spoiled American young adult who can't find meaning in life. It's incredibly cliched...the same old sob story movies are made of. You can do better than that. Keep your chin up kiddo. I'll send you good wishes and prayers from Oklahoma.