I have had two brain aneurysms. One rupture back in 2012; then found another unruptured in 2020 which both had to have intercranial surgery.
I go every November for my MRA with / without contrast
I don’t go over results with my Neuro until November 21. When you live with aneurysms that is a long, anxious wait. Of course I google every word i read in the report they post. Unfortunately that is how I found out in 2020 that I had one, they posted the report/findings before I had my review with my neuro. So panic set it.
This year report was posted early again, but don’t meet with my neuro for two more weeks. I research and the think that bothers me is i have stable encephalomalacia in the anterior left temporal lobe
I read about this; but can’t figure out if this is going to lead to something far worse? Has anyone had this after having brain surgery?
Thanks so much everyone. Always love to have opinions of people that know what we live
I once had results get to my portal before I saw my Neurosurgeon. She was a bit upset as it was read wrong. Before she got back to the exam room, it was corrected. She prefers to go over them prior to my appointment which is usually the same day given we travel 60 miles or so. They now wait for her if she’s the one who has ordered them. If my Neurologist has ordered them, I ask her to review them which she does and then they’re posted in my portal. It takes a lot of angst out of my life.
I believe the encephalomalacia is caused by the rupture and the blood damaging the brain. I went back to my last MRI/A that lead to my stent and the MRI says this “ Minimal high signal changes in the periventricular white matter. Encephalomalacia identified within the corpus callosum proximal body. This area is hyperintense on T2 weighted images.”. Here’s what Wikipedia says Cerebral softening - Wikipedia
My last MRI/A didn’t mention it, previous MRI/A’s have mentioned more places than the corpus callosum (it’s the place between the two hemispheres), I believe the frontal and temporal lobes were also effected with some scattering around the other parts. I recall my Neurosurgeon saying I have a lot of white encephalomalacia (not to be confused with white matter of the brain) now back in the first year or so due to the amount of blood that entered into the subarachnoid space. My brain is doing remarkably well given what it’s gone through. Knowing the brain can develop new pathways is what I focus on and try to encourage. I remember learning in university that there’s a lot of our brain we don’t use, so I try to do things that can help my brain learn to use another bit of it if that makes sense…
When I ruptured, they didn’t know what I’d be able to do or if I would even survive. Yet, here I am and so are you! I always say, “I walk, I talk, I wipe my own arse. Life is good!”
Ask your Neurosurgeon about it, ask him to explain it in such a way a 4th Grader could understand. BH had no knowledge of the brain in the beginning so that’s what we asked Dr. Q-W to do. Make sure you have your list of questions ready.
@Uconn2020 Moltroub gives great advice - try not to worry too much in advance. Different radiologists use different terminology (some more formal, some more in layman’s terms) so what is described may have been in your results before, just in another form. An MRI about 8 months after my stroke had me thinking that any day I’d be drooling into my oatmeal in an assisted living center. I scared myself half to death. But when I finally saw my neurologist, she first broke it down in detail for me. Then in the end she summed it all up to say it really just confirmed what we already knew - yes, I had a stroke; yes, there is evidence to prove it; yes, life can and will go on. And no, I don’t need to start shopping for Assisted Living Centers in the immediate future (knock on wood).
I’m not diminishing what worries you - have you called your Neurosurgeon’s office? If you explain what’s worrying you, they may be able to call you if there’s a cancellation in the Doctor’s schedule. Better yet there may already be an earlier opening they can get you into if you’re able to make the drive. Might be worth a try.
My Neurosurgeon and her NP worked out a plan for all my questions, I send them to the NP Ms. Ryann and they get together and answer them before I have my appointment! It’s easier and if they use full sentences or if I remember to number them, it’s fantastic! Remember you don’t have to wait for an appointment, just send in your questions. Answers can sometimes lead to more questions and I get clarification either through the portal or if the visit is within a day or two I just ask which ever one I’m seeing.
Just the other week someone brought up about the Neuro going through the heart which I had always thought but Dr. Q-W told me she stayed far away from it. And then my niece had a paternal cousin who ruptured and her family said the doc was going to check out her heart. So being in a constant confused state, I asked Ms Ryann through my portal and she replied by the next day! Whilst I don’t see the aortic branch as being far away from the heart, I get what Dr. Q-W means now.