Hi all    [smiley=hiya.gif]

I just received a phone call from my neurologist regarding the results of my TCD and SPECT study....both test show normal blood flow within the brain   [smiley=sayyes.gif]

He has requested that I return to Dr. Connolly with all of the new information to determine if the Cerebral Angiogram is still needed.

Based on Dr. Connolly's earlier comments on my MRI/MRA...it looks like there is a good chance that the my problem may be related to a restriction in blood vessels....and given that I have had high choleterol my entire life...there is a good chance that it might be a plaque build up.

Based on all of the above, my general doctor has changed my cholesterol medication to something much stronger...just so you guys know, a few of the new cholesterol medications are showing promise at reducing plaque build up.

So, depending on what Dr. Connolly says during my next appointment, it looks like I will be having additional MRI/MRA/CT Angios in 6 months to monitor the condition.

I am so glad that my Dr. called this morning. This way, I can enjoy my vaction a LOT more.

Have any of you had this diagnosis only to find out that it was still MM.

Have a great holiday weekend,
Greg

Greg,

After hearing from hundreds of people on this board and reading various medical reports in the links above, it seems to me that THE TEST to have is the angio.  That test, more than any other, proves 100% that you do or do not have MM.  The other tests are just icing on the cake, so to speak and basically just tell you how bad (or not) the MM is.   To answer your question about whether anyone had this result on the SPECT and still had the MM diagnosis, yes I have.  My SPECT showed okay but my angio proved otherwise.

This is just my opinion, my personal experience and from what I've seen on this board so take it for what it's worth.  Plus, I don't want to ruin your weekend!  :-/  

[smiley=hug.gif]
Lisa

Greg:

I'm glad you got good news as well.  I certainly hope that prognosis is good.  I'm sure all will be fine.  

As I mentioned to you before, I have heard from this board and through my research, that the SPECT scan is not a full proof test.  Angiogram is THE definitive test to diagnose MM.  

In my case, my SPECT scan showed 'good amount' of blood flow.  However, my understanding of the SPECT compares one side to the other.  So, if have equal amounts of blood flow on both sides, you will not have a good idea of whether or not that blood flow is 'good', per se.  In addition, I had severe occlusion on both sides but the SPECT showed decent perfusion, although that was being determined by the fact that both sides of the brain looked equal.  We got this opinion from two of the neurosurgeon experts as well.  Eventually, we agreed with three of the four opinions we got that surgery was the best option to take care of the occlusions, despite decent blood flow.  In the case of my moya moya, I'm prone to stroke as long as those moya moya vessels exist, regardless of the blood flow (as was my case, since I had a hemorrage of one of those vessels prior to surgery).  

Have you had any strokes or TIAs, out of curiosity?  Or did you have headaches?  Please forgive me; I don't recall if you mentioned how you got to this point of diagnosis of MM.  

Hope this helps,
Trina

Trina,

I had several episodes of diziness, blurred vision, tingling in the face, and numbness in my right arm and leg. The two major episodes lasted for several days each (minus the numbness which would come and go). The neuologist has not said if they were TIA's....he doubts that they were mini strokes due to the fact that the could not identify any "damage" from the MRI/MRA.

Since my last episode in Janaury, I have very minor headaches and slight boughts of diziness on an almost every other day....not to mention the lethargic feeling.

Anyway, hope this helps.
Greg

Hi Greg,

I also agree that a person with MM can have good blood flow on a SPECT. The collateral vessels around a blockage can supply the flow temporarily and may even save your life until surgery restores the proper blood flow, but it’s as Trina said, you are still prone to a stroke as long as those MM vessels exist and you do not have the surgery, because the collateral vessels are abnormal and weak and therefore can cause a stroke.


Greg-NJ1 wrote on May 27^th, 2005 at 6:24pm:

I had several episodes of diziness, blurred vision, tingling in the face, and numbness in my right arm and leg. The two major episodes lasted for several days each (minus the numbness which would come and go).

I’m not trying to frighten you, but from what you’ve just described, those are classic signs of TIA’s. Here is the description of a TIA from NINDS: http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/tia/tia.htm  

We’ve learnt the hard way with MM disease, NOT to believe everything some doctors say in reference to MM, and we urge people to seek a second opinion from a MM specialist. They have more experience with this disease and they address the need to correct the proper blood flow before risking permanent damage of a stroke, where others sometimes do not and many have suffered devastating consequences because of it.

IMO, I’d get the angio, that will give you all the answers you need and help you know in what direction to go. Whether your MRI/MRA showed a stroke or not, isn't as important at this point, as doing all you can to prevent a devastating stroke in the future. That's my  [smiley=twocents.gif]

My prayers are with you.

Mar

Greg...Cara's spect test showed only 10 percent blood flow on right side and about 70 percent on left side that Dr. Meyer compared it to her angiogram from two years ago and thought the narrowing was now happening on her left side that isn't shown on the angio and recommend we get a new angio done asap..so we stayed extra few days at the Mayo....and sure enough the found the "10percent blood flow on the right side" was actually coming from the left side !!!!! and the left side was quite fragile too.  And a new MRI done right before they did the angio showed she had been having TIA's all long.   I'll keep you in my prayers that it all works out.   :) CarasMOM