Re: Please Help Me Figure Out My MRI!

[Guest guest]

, Why dont you call your doctor and have him tell you what all this means? He will be thebest judge as to what this means and what he wants to do about it. I know it all sounds very confusing and makes a person wonder, but I dont really think you have much to fret over, ra does its things no matter what we do.Take care and call the physician that ordered the mri. Love & prayers, Reni <catdelouise@...> wrote: Hi All,I just had MRIs done of the right and left hand and I could really use your help in translating:Left Hand:"....However, at the level of the fourth metacarpal head in the anterior soft tissues anterior to the flexor tendon, there 7 mm nodule within the subcutaneous fat which is hypointense on Tq, hyperintense on T2...this abuts the flexor tendon....There is some enhancement of the soft tissues of the distal aspect of the thumb and fifth digit more so than the other fingers and I am not certain whether this is real or artifactual. There is an additional enhancing nodule approx. 6 mm in size on the volar surface of the hand at the level of the fifth metacarpal head, within the subcutaneous fat."Right Hand:"...At the distal hypothenar eminence anteriorly, within the subcutaneous tissue, there is increased T2 and STIR signal present

in an amorphous, ill defined region which measures approximately 2 cm transverslely X 3 mm deep...Similarly, at the distal left fifth digit, at the site of a vitamin E marker, there is an area of increased T2 signal seen within the soft tissue surrounding the bone...Findings are nonspecific and could certainly be due to areas of focal soft tissue inflammation or infection. Correlation with clinical symptoms is suggested as well as physical exam. A low-grade vascular malformation can appear similar. These do not appear to be related to the joint space. Histologic evaluation may ultimately be warranted."Google is not helping me, I need a layman's interpretation. Please help me if you can!Thank you,

[Guest guest]

Dear - Your results indicate nodules and swelling as well as some bone deformation. The nodules are a sign that your RA is not dormant. Nodules can be very painful. Be sure to talk to your doctor about the results asap. Hugs, Deborah

On Tue, May 20, 2008 at 5:38 PM, Reni <psalms107_20@...> wrote:

, Why dont you call your doctor and have him tell you what all this means? He will be thebest judge as to what this means and what he wants to do about it. I know it all sounds very confusing and makes a person wonder, but I dont really think you have much to fret over, ra does its things no matter what we do.Take care and call the physician that ordered the mri.

Love & prayers, Reni <catdelouise@...> wrote:

Hi All,I just had MRIs done of the right and left hand and I could really use your help in

translating:Left Hand: " ....However, at the level of the fourth metacarpal head in the anterior soft tissues anterior to the flexor tendon, there 7 mm nodule within the subcutaneous fat which is

hypointense on Tq, hyperintense on T2...this abuts the flexor tendon....There is some enhancement of the soft tissues of the distal aspect of the thumb and fifth digit more so than the other fingers and I am not certain whether this is real or

artifactual. There is an additional enhancing nodule approx. 6 mm in size on the volar surface of the hand at the level of the fifth metacarpal head, within the subcutaneous fat. " Right Hand: " ...At the distal hypothenar eminence anteriorly, within the subcutaneous tissue, there is

increased T2 and STIR signal present

in an amorphous, ill defined region which measures approximately 2 cm transverslely X 3 mm deep...Similarly, at the distal left fifth digit, at the site of a vitamin E marker, there is an area of increased T2 signal seen within the soft

tissue surrounding the bone...Findings are nonspecific and could certainly be due to areas of focal soft tissue inflammation or infection. Correlation with clinical symptoms is suggested as well as physical exam. A low-grade vascular malformation can appear

similar. These do not appear to be related to the joint space. Histologic evaluation may ultimately be warranted. " Google is not helping me, I need a layman's interpretation. Please help me if you can!

Thank you,

[Guest guest]

Hi Reni,

The reason I want to know before I see the doctor is that he tends to downgrade

things,

make things not as bad as it seems. After 4 years on Humira it has failed me

and my

doctor is reluctant to take the next step, which I wanted to be Orencia since

Enbrel did not

improve me enough.

I hope these results are enough to warrant action, if not I need to find a new

doctor. I

have an appointment with a new one but it is not until July 3rd! In the

meantime I can no

longer work and I am on very high doses of pain medication: 50 mg of Opana,

twice a day

with Percocet 325/10 as needed. I am exhausted. I also feel I am developing

Raynaud's

Syndrome. I am the main breadwinner in my family and it is very bad that I

cannot work.

I was laid off so I am collecting unemployment but I worry that I will not be

well enough to

go back when it runs out.

This is the first time in having RA for over 5 years that I actually feel I

cannot work.

> Hi All,

>

> I just had MRIs done of the right and left hand and I could really use your

help in

> translating:

>

> Left Hand:

>

> " ....However, at the level of the fourth metacarpal head in the anterior soft

tissues

anterior

> to the flexor tendon, there 7 mm nodule within the subcutaneous fat which is

> hypointense on Tq, hyperintense on T2...this abuts the flexor tendon.

>

> ....There is some enhancement of the soft tissues of the distal aspect of the

thumb and

> fifth digit more so than the other fingers and I am not certain whether this

is real or

> artifactual. There is an additional enhancing nodule approx. 6 mm in size on

the volar

> surface of the hand at the level of the fifth metacarpal head, within the

subcutaneous

fat. "

>

> Right Hand:

>

> " ...At the distal hypothenar eminence anteriorly, within the subcutaneous

tissue, there is

> increased T2 and STIR signal present in an amorphous, ill defined region which

measures

> approximately 2 cm transverslely X 3 mm deep...Similarly, at the distal left

fifth digit, at

> the site of a vitamin E marker, there is an area of increased T2 signal seen

within the

soft

> tissue surrounding the bone...Findings are nonspecific and could certainly be

due to

areas

> of focal soft tissue inflammation or infection. Correlation with clinical

symptoms is

> suggested as well as physical exam. A low-grade vascular malformation can

appear

> similar. These do not appear to be related to the joint space. Histologic

evaluation may

> ultimately be warranted. "

>

> Google is not helping me, I need a layman's interpretation. Please help me if

you can!

>

> Thank you,

>

>

>