Yesterday i did a second MR to see that my AVM not had change or grown.
This time a had a new neurosurgeon. I was very surprised as he told me that he dont think i have an AVM, This doctor thinks that it is an Cavernoma and a venous angioma. I hade no idea that it was hard to tell on a MRI. And my first neurosurgeon was not talking about any caveroma possibility. Is this common that its hard to tell on a MR. (Both MRI with contrast) .
/Jens
Hi Jens,
AVM's and Cavernoma's (also known as cavernous malformations) are in the same vascular malformation 'family,' though differ in structure.
To my understanding one of the ways to distinguish & confirm one from the other is w/ an angiogram or MRA. Cavernomas do not show up angiographically, whereas AVM's do.
Best wishes,
Patti
http://www.avmsurvivors.org/group/cavernousmalformationsupportnetwork
Ok. Thank you so Much for info. Whats The differens MRI/MRA?
Now i dont even no what i have in My head :-S.
I'm sorry to hear that you have to deal with this difficult diagnosis of either an AVM or cavernous malformation...regardless of what it is, I'm sure this leaves you feeling very unsettled and just want someone to be certain of what it is which I am sure they will discover once all these tests are complete. I've had many MRIs and MRAs in dealing with my AVM. As I understand it, an MRA (otherwise called an MRI-Angiogram) is when they shoot you into that jet tunnel (that's what I call it :)) for imagry in addition to injecting you with dye, intravenously, which helps to enlarge the images of the vessels. An MRI, is pretty much insterting you into that same jet tunnel, however, they do not inject any dye intravenously. Hang in there!!!
At first I was told that I had a cavernoma after an MRI scan, however after a CT scan (with contrast) and an angiogram, it was found to be an AVM. Not sure if this helps but suppose it must mean that it can sometimes be quite hard to tell.
Marc
Yes, at this point i realy just want to no what this is. Strange he dont do angio?