What does this impression in my MRI mean?

Question

Hi doctor,

I have recently taken MRI as I had flair signals and got the results. What does this Impression mean: No acute intracranial process. A few tiny subcortical white matter FLAIR hyperintensities are most notably in the frontal lobes. Appearance is nonspecific. A similar finding can be seen in the setting of chronic headache disorder. Recommend clinical correlation. I do not see any deep white matter and/or cavitary lesions, which would be more characteristic of old demyelination. Borderline Chiari I malformation with approximately 5 mm cerebellar tonsillar ectopia. Ventricles are nondilated. Please help.

Answer 1

Hi,

Welcome to icliniq.com.

I understand your concern.

Chiari malformation type 1 occurs when the section of the skull containing a part of the brain (cerebellum) is too small or is deformed, thus putting pressure on and crowding the brain. As a result, the lower part of the cerebellum (tonsils) is displaced into the upper spinal canal. The severity of Chiari malformations can vary from person to person, but generally, Chiari I malformations are not considered life-threatening. Focal hyperintensities in the subcortical white matter demonstrated by T2 FLAIR (fluid-attenuated inversion recovery) images are a common incidental finding in patients undergoing brain MRI (magnetic resonance imaging). They are common in older adult brains and associated with advanced age, high blood pressure, ischemic events, and other vascular risk factors, even without clinical symptoms.

I hope this helps.

Answer 2

Hi,

Welcome back to icliniq.com.

I understand your concern.

Chiari malformation type 1 occurs when the section of the skull containing a part of the brain (cerebellum) is too small or is deformed, thus putting pressure on and crowding the brain. The lower part of the cerebellum (tonsils) is displaced into the upper spinal canal. The severity of Chiari malformations can vary from person to person, but generally: Chiari I malformations are not considered life-threatening. Focal hyperintensities in the subcortical white matter demonstrated by T2 FLAIR images are a common incidental finding in patients undergoing brain MRI. They are common in older adult brains and associated with advanced age, HTN, ischemic events, and other vascular risk factors, even without clinical symptoms. It is almost always an incidental finding. It is usually found during MRI scans done for different reasons and typically has no signs. Most people with the condition do not even know they have it unless it is incidentally discovered during a diagnostic imaging test. If you have pain, balance problems, sleep apnoea, and swallowing difficulty, I suggest you should visit a neurosurgeon for futher treatment if required.

I hope this helps.