Diagnosis missed in spite of contrast MRI?

[JeWeL41]

I was just wondering how many people here initially had contrast enhanced MRI that DID NOT show AN and then later were discovered to have one? Does this apply to anyone?

[Brendalu]

Interesting question.  I know that mine was found with the regular MRI and confirmed with the contrast one, but the doctors' didn't bother to tell me about the second AN on the other side.  So three years later I am dealing with that.  Thankfully, it is a very small one.  I hope you hear if anyone has had that experience.
Brenda

[danalynn]

I had an MRI three years ago after experiencing symptoms of fullness in my ear, and occassional facial paralysis.  The radiologist found nothing on the contract MRI at that time.  Three years later after losing 50% of my hearing and now experiencing tinnitus, the new MRI showed a tumor of 1.5cm.  The radiologist who reviewed the first MRI went back and looked again, and realized he missed the 4 -5 mm tumor.   Unfortunately, mistakes happen.  As others have said, make sure you have your MRI looked at by a neurosurgeon who has experience with ANs.

[leapyrtwins]

JeWel -

unfortunately, it happens often 

There are many stories on this forum about patients who were misdiagnosed for years.

Hopefully things are on their way to changing.

Jan

[ppearl214]

*raises hand*

Yep, initially misdiagnosed as well. Had head MRI 5 yrs ago to check for vascular constriction disorder... never saw my AN or Chiari 1..... another head mri 3 yrs later..... *boom*... double diagnosis. Go figure.

Phyl

[Betsy]

Theoretically, if it's small and rather "flat", the AN could hide between slices on the MRI and never show up.  I was lucky to be diagnosed after the first MRI, but the subsequent ones (with smaller slices), gave a truer picture of what we were dealing with.  How many doctors have looked at your MRI?

Betsy

[JeWeL41]

No doctors yet only the radiologist . The good news is I posted on MedHelp and a doc from the House clinic in Los Angeles thinks he sees a vascular loop, he recommended a specialist called Richard Ramsden in Manchester UK and it turns out that he is a leading expert on AN. I have an appointment as a private patient with him on Tuesday 8th April and he is going to give me a thorough review as a potential AN patient so at last I will have a definitive diagnosis. It may still be idiopathic Sudden sensorineural hearing loss but at least I will have been properly examined. Off to Portugal for a week to soak up some sun tomorrow so feeling quite perky - vertigo is finally tailing off too.