Maybe you can help... Do *you* see anything??

Aubreya · Joined: 11 Mar 2009 Posts: 2

Ok, I'm not sure if this is allowed or not, but below is a link to an MRI picture of my pituitary gland. I have had 3 differing opinions from different doctors regarding my pituitary gland including 'nothings wrong', 'somethings wrong', and 'it looks funny but nothings wrong', and I'm curious to know which one is most likely right.

I've tried for weeks, exhaustively, to learn what I can about reading an MRI so that I can make somewhat of an educated guess about which doctor is correct, but truthfully - I would need months, if not years, to understand what the heck I'm looking at. I realize I'm looking at a brain, but noticing more than that is beyond me at this point.

I would just move on to another doctor, however my health plan will not pay for another opinion (which means they just paid for 3 that don't match...).

If anyone feels comfortable taking a peek at the picture and letting me know their non-legally binding opinion, it would be appreciated. I just want to know what I'm looking at and if there are any noticeable problems in the picture.

Thank you to anyone who took the time to read this, and especially to anyone who can shed some light on the photo.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v64/Aubreya/pituitary1.jpg

droptine · Joined: 05 Mar 2009 Posts: 8 Location: texas

thats not a good shot.

You really need the entire series to tell... both sag and coronal.. Pre and post contrast to see enhancement. The pituitary region is highly vascular, so enhancement is expected, just helps rule out any abnormal enhancement and or mass effect.

Aubreya · Joined: 11 Mar 2009 Posts: 2

Dang...

I'll post the series then. That might take me a minute. Smile

I guess that makes sense though - hard to get a 3d idea of what you're looking at without multiple pictures. Maybe that's why I'm so terrible at looking at these things.

hjhogle · Posted: Wed Mar 11, 2009 7:16 pm Post subject:

A jpg is NOT a diagnostic quality image.

You couldn't possibly (no matter how exhaustively) try for "weeks" to learn to read MR. Those who have already earned an MD spend 4 years of residency and frequently an additional 1 or 2 years specializing in neuro MR.

The folks who frequent here are not physicians. We specialize in imaging - obtaining images. We don't specialize in interpreting them. Ask yourself .. do you really want the opinon of an anonymous someone who would diagnose from a web-posted jpg?

I'm sorry that you've gotten three differing opinions - asking "anyone" to use a non-diagnostic image to assist you in self-diagnosis is foolhardy, at best.

Good luck,
hjh, RT