Brief Answer:
Meningitis almost always has a radiographic signature

Detailed Answer:
Good morning and thank you for your question.

Something such as meningitis can often be detected on an MRI if it is administered with a contrast substance called GADOLINIUM which is a paramagnetic XXXXXXX that is injected prior to the scan. It is recommended that patients obtain RENAL FUNCTION TESTING before receiving such XXXXXXX since there can be damage to the kidneys if what is called the GLOMERULAR FILTRATION RATE is not high enough.

In my institution we require renal clearance within 30 days of the XXXXXXX study by sending the patient to the lab for a serum CREATININE and an ESTIMATED GLOMERULAR FILTRATION RATE which is a calculated approximation of how much the kidneys can filter through the glomeruli per minute. If it is below 60 then, at the discretion of the radiologist the study may be canceled since the XXXXXXX substance could potentially cause renal damage.

However, in your case if you had the MRI and it were done with contrast XXXXXXX then, the radiologist would be looking for enhancement of the brain coverings (the meninges) which would SUGGEST swelling of this entity and allow the radiologist to make the call for a meningitic swelling or MENINGITIS. However, the final determination of whether or not you actually HAD a meningitis would be that of the clinician who should also complement the MRI with a lumbar puncture (spinal tap) and of course, above all....a good history and physical examination.

If all that were present were square wave jerks and nystagmus of a horizontal nature then, the call for meningitis would likely be tempered against other possible diagnoses.

Therefore, an MRI is an imaging study which if performed with GADOLINIUM CONTRAST could demonstrate enhancement of the meninges to suggest a swelling or meningitic process but the clinician would have the FINAL SAY of whether or not you were suffering from a MENINGITIS independent of what the MRI may or may not show based upon the clinical presentation and any other information obtainable such as results from blood or CSF studies in the way of a spinal tap or lumbar puncture.

If I've provided useful and helpful information to your questions could you do me a huge favor by CLOSING THE QUERY and be sure to include some fine words of feedback along with a 5 STAR rating? Again, many thanks for submitting your inquiry and please let me know how things turn out.

Do not forget to contact me in the future at: www.bit.ly/drdariushsaghafi for additional questions, comments, or concerns having to do with this topic or others.

This query has utilized a total of 15 minutes of professional time in research, review, and synthesis for the purpose of formulating a return statement.

---

Brief Answer:
In the OLD Days......

Detailed Answer:
Thank you for your return message.

Well, you're in good company but there's no reason to be concerned. At our institution and in many academic centers renal clearance is required because of the latest literature that has implicated gadolinium XXXXXXX as kidney UNFRIENDLY in some individuals (on the order of about 1% of all people who receive XXXXXXX contrast). In the OLD DAYS.....which means greater than 5 years ago...it was actually PROMOTED by the manufacturers of contrast XXXXXXX for MRI scanners that the beautiful thing about their injected substance was that there was no toxicity associated with their product and for that reason NOBODY was getting screened....

Well, as is so common in our society.....FAMOUS LAST WORDS......As a doctor in practice for over 25 years I can tell you that the one thing I've learned in medicine is that there is NO SUCH THING as a drug, procedure, device, or product produced by a drug company, device manufacturer, or company that is 100% safe and secure. It doesn't exist.

Having said that....of all the studies I sent on people in the past without getting renal clearance numbers I am not aware of a single complication...even in people who had actual kidney disease. We were being told at that time that it was unnecessary to send patients for additional testing and to just order the studies. However, now that the newer studies have been coming out we are REQUIRED by our institution to obtain renal clearance within 30 days of the MRI.

However, I can tell you that this requirement and protocol is not something that has been unified or standardized across all doctors or even diagnostic centers. Therefore, I would venture to say that relatively few places require kidney function testing before administering gadolinium XXXXXXX

But now you know a little more information than either the average patient....and APPARENTLY the average doctor! LOL....Oh my!

Bottom line....if you are a healthy young lady and you are unaware of having any kidney problems then, I would not sweat it....you'll probably be just fine. Now all you need to do is wait on the MRI results.

If I've provided useful and helpful information to your questions could you do me a huge favor by CLOSING THE QUERY and be sure to include some fine words of feedback along with a 5 STAR rating?

You'll notice that I actually answered another question of yours not too long ago about these same symptoms but you did not tell me whether the information I provided was of benefit to you or not....I hope it was and that it answered your question regarding MS vs. PARKINSON's disease.

Do not forget to contact me in the future at: www.bit.ly/drdariushsaghafi for additional questions, comments, or concerns having to do with this topic or others. You will agree that probably the information I've provided you was much more complete and helpful than the advice you paid $610.00 for with another doctor....Gee whiz....wish I was in his place.....I'd be rich....AND I'd probably be helping his patients a lot more than he is! LOL!!

This query has utilized a total of 25 minutes of professional time in research, review, and synthesis for the purpose of formulating a return statement.

---