Need some medical help...

[zoomzoom02]

I need some help, I need someone who knows medical stuff to translate this.

Findings: There is no evidence of acute intracranial hemorrhage. There is a cleft in the left cerebral hemisphere which appears to be lined with gray matter and communicates with the left lateral ventricle. This is compatible with a schizencephaly. There is also a small focal lineral calcific density seen in the left parietal whte matter. This is nonspecific but may reflect a prior inflammatory process. Negative for hydrocephalus. There is absence of the midline septum at the level of the lateral ventricles. A prominent sulcus lip schizencephaly can give a similar appearance.

There is prominence of the cisterna magna. There is mild bowing of the falx cerebelli to the left. Small posterior fossa arachnoid cyst can give a similar appearance.

The calcarial structures are intact.


This is what was givin to us today. This was the results from the catscan taken in november, we dont know the results of the catscan taken yesterday. What sucks is that we still have a $2,500 hospital bill from the visit in November, because she didn't have insurance on that incident. So if someone could help us translate this I would greatly appreciate it. We are trying to get through all of the beaucracy B.S. to get her an EEG.

 

[azian6er]

essentially it is just saying different findings from different parts of your brain. it looks like there is no hemorrhages so that is a good thing. I guess your brain is crooked in a couple spots as well.

I guess they found some things that may suggest a schitzencephaly ( i dont know what this is).

Did you sustain a head trauma?

-B

 

[jersey_emt]

It's for his girlfriend who had a seizure the other day.

Yes, the good news is that there's no hemorrhages (bleeding) in the brain. Some of the stuff I have to look up though. I'll get back to you.

 

[Matthew]

you can find out about the schiz thing here:

http://www.ninds.nih.gov/health_and_medical/disorders/schizencephaly.htm

 

[rt66protege]

I couldn't tell you what those mean, but you might want to check with www.webmd.com and look up a few of those terms in a search type scenario. It's a great resource for health questions.

 

[jersey_emt]

Schizencephaly is an extremely rare condition.....and symptoms are usually present from birth.

edit - matthew beat me to posting the link

SHe only has one symptom...the seizure...so it's highly unlikely that this is the cause.

 

[zoomzoom02]

When she was born she had a stroke, thats what started it all...

 

[jersey_emt]

Usually when a test is read there is an 'IMPRESSIONS' section at the end that gives a preliminary insight into a diagnosis...basically an educated guess on what's wrong with the information gained from the test. Was this included in the results?

And do you know what caused the stroke?

 

[jersey_emt]

And honestly...you're not going to get a good grasp of what's going on from people here...I have a pretty good grasp on medical terminology, and have several years experience in the field....but I'm definitely not anywhere near being a doctor...

Even if I was a doc, I probably wouldn't be too much help without seeing your girlfriend in person and doing my own workup.

But you already know that....I know you just want someone to try to translate that 'gibberish' into plain English....and I'll do what I can to help. But your best bet is to talk to the doctor who wrote that report.

 

[zoomzoom02]

yeah here is the Impressions...
CLINICAL DATA: Seizure
IMPRESSION:
1. Left hemispheric schizencephaly and probable right hemispheric schizencephaly.
2. Midline septum is absent between the lateral ventricles. THis may reflect septic optic dysplasia which can be seen in association with schizencephaly.
3. Probable mega cisterna magna. Small posterior fossa arachnoid cyst can give a similar appearance.
4. Nonspecific small linear calific density in the left parietal white matter, likely dystrophic calicification.

 

[ZoomZoomH]

do not, and I repeat DO NOT, take what the technicians at the lab says base on the scans, to be the correct diagnosis of your gf's condition.

get a specialist to look at the film, and he/she should order follow-on tests to be done to determine what really is the condition.

 

[jersey_emt]

A link about septo-optic dysplasia http://www.ninds.nih.gov/health_and_medical/disorders/septo-optic.htm

 

[jersey_emt]

do not, and I repeat DO NOT, take what the technicians at the lab says base on the scans, to be the correct diagnosis of your gf's condition.

get a specialist to look at the film, and he/she should order follow-on tests to be done to determine what really is the condition.

That's why I said 'educated guess'

And that write-up is from a radiologist not a tech.

EDIT - Just re-read the original post...that's the CT from back in November, not the current one...so that's definitely a final reading (of that single test)

 

[zoomzoom02]

Exactly, I need to find out what the recent CAT scan said, and what the past MRI recent MRI and recent CAT says. She is getting an EEG as soon as either we get funds, or the insurance allows it(soonest is march 21).

 

[jersey_emt]

Weird that the insurance is giving you s*** about the EEG...it's a pretty standard test for seizures (along with the CT & MRI)

 

[ZoomZoomH]

and radiologists are not neurological specialists, they only specialize in reading films and give preliminary diagnosis based on visual clues from the film.

zoomzoom02, what are the next steps in the diagnosis/treatment for your gf?? has anyone tell you what to do next???

EDIT: meh, i post too slow, you guys already answered. that late? 3/21??? dammit

 

[DaveB]

One of our best friends is an internist. I will run this by him tomorrow he is great at putting things in terms you could understand. As always you are in our hearts and prayers if we can do anything else to help out Truc knows how to track us down. I will call him tommorrow after I talk to the doc. ~Kelly Bodde~

 

[zoomzoom02]

They gave her a perscription of Diflucan, and we are waiting to get the EEG

 

[tonkabui]

i'm on it clay... i'll have an answer by tomorrow morning.

edit: oops, didn't see that kelly was already on it... well, now you'll have two doctors' opinion on what it all means. also, my cousin is a head radiologist. i'll give him a call this weekend. he's on call this week.

 

[batmang]

it sucks that i work in a hospital, but i dont associate with any of the dr's/neurologitst/radiologists, i just fix their pc's and make sure software/hardware is working properly. i'd bug one of the dr's, but their always busy around here, or their just assholes.