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What Does MRI Mean And How Is It Related To Lightheadedness?
My husband is 74 years old, 5’10”, 190 lbs and in generally good health.
His blood pressure ranges from 115/65 to 130/70 with an occasional bounce
up to 140/80. He walks 4 to 5 miles a day (in 60 to 70 minutes) 5 or 6 days a week and also works outside our house doing gardening and other physical activities. He takes only 1 RX medication--a statin--and his latest blood work shows his cholesterol is less than 140. He also takes a variety of vitamins including a daily baby aspirin, fish oil, etc.
While we were away on a cruise in early October, he contracted an ear infection--probably from swimming. The shipboard doctor prescribed 2
types of drops to be used 2X a day (an antibiotic and a steroid) He used
the drops for about 14 days until the ear pain had subsided. About a week
or so later, he started experiencing being “light-headed”. The sensation
came and went at first but is now more or less constant. The sensation is
sometimes accelerated when he moves his head suddenly.
He has no other symptoms--no muscle weakness or balance problems;
no numbness etc.
Our primary care physician had him use 2 types of nasal sprays for one
week with no change in condition. Then he ordered an MRI. The only
finding in the MRI is: “abnormal hyperintensity throughout the
periventricular white matter. This is probably due to chronic ischmic
changes.”
Can you tell us what this MRI impression means? And how does it
relate to his light-headed sensation?
His blood pressure ranges from 115/65 to 130/70 with an occasional bounce
up to 140/80. He walks 4 to 5 miles a day (in 60 to 70 minutes) 5 or 6 days a week and also works outside our house doing gardening and other physical activities. He takes only 1 RX medication--a statin--and his latest blood work shows his cholesterol is less than 140. He also takes a variety of vitamins including a daily baby aspirin, fish oil, etc.
While we were away on a cruise in early October, he contracted an ear infection--probably from swimming. The shipboard doctor prescribed 2
types of drops to be used 2X a day (an antibiotic and a steroid) He used
the drops for about 14 days until the ear pain had subsided. About a week
or so later, he started experiencing being “light-headed”. The sensation
came and went at first but is now more or less constant. The sensation is
sometimes accelerated when he moves his head suddenly.
He has no other symptoms--no muscle weakness or balance problems;
no numbness etc.
Our primary care physician had him use 2 types of nasal sprays for one
week with no change in condition. Then he ordered an MRI. The only
finding in the MRI is: “abnormal hyperintensity throughout the
periventricular white matter. This is probably due to chronic ischmic
changes.”
Can you tell us what this MRI impression means? And how does it
relate to his light-headed sensation?
Tue, 10 Jun 2014
Hello
Thanks for writing to HCM
Abnormal hyperintensity throughout the periventricular white matter are generally due to chronic microvascular ischemic changes resulting from involvement of small blood vessels,demyelination,post infective sequel etc.
It is important to rule out demyelinating disease with follow up scans.
Ischemic changes resulting from blood vessels changes in diseases like hypertension,diabetes mellitus,dyslipidemia.
So,you need monitoring of conditions that leads to ischemic changes like hypertension,altered lipid profile,diabetes mellitus.
You need investigations like routine hemogram,RBS,LFT,RFT,Lipid profile,ultrasound of abdomen.
Proper treatment depend upon findings.
Hope i have answered your query.
Take Care
Dr.Indu Bhushan
Thanks for writing to HCM
Abnormal hyperintensity throughout the periventricular white matter are generally due to chronic microvascular ischemic changes resulting from involvement of small blood vessels,demyelination,post infective sequel etc.
It is important to rule out demyelinating disease with follow up scans.
Ischemic changes resulting from blood vessels changes in diseases like hypertension,diabetes mellitus,dyslipidemia.
So,you need monitoring of conditions that leads to ischemic changes like hypertension,altered lipid profile,diabetes mellitus.
You need investigations like routine hemogram,RBS,LFT,RFT,Lipid profile,ultrasound of abdomen.
Proper treatment depend upon findings.
Hope i have answered your query.
Take Care
Dr.Indu Bhushan
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