Could MRI miss tumor?

[WTH]

Hello! My story : I have been experiencing memory loss, fatigue, left-sided facial tingling including my nose, tongue and throat, feeling as if I'm drunk when moving around, stumbling around, ringing in the ears and I feel like my left side is muted. The ringing doesn't seem as bad in the left as it does on the right.  I went to the ER for the facial tingling. CT scan showed Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus.  Had an MRI, no contrast   Report read to me over the phone by the nurse showed no tumors, mild swelling.  The facial stuff comes and goes. My cheek always feel less sensitive than the right but my lips and tongue aren't always tingling. My memory issues have been so bad they are affecting my job. My question: could an MRI, without contrast, miss a tumor? Can an AN cause hydrocephalus ? Have an appointment with neurologist next week...on my birthday! Thanks so much for reading this!

[arizonajack]

could an MRI, without contrast, miss a tumor?

Yes, it's possible. "With contrast" is the best way to go.

Can an AN cause hydrocephalus ?

Yes, it could. See the resources in the following search results:

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=acoustic+neuroma+hydrocephalus&t=h

[areles]

yes, definitely.  i saw both versions of my son's MRI - with and without contrast - and without, everything looked perfectly normal.  with, the tumor lit up like a lightbulb.

please let us know how it goes with your doctor next week.

[MSchmit]

Sadly, many radiologists don't know what to look for. I originally received a "normal" report. After a year my ENT ordered up another MRI from a different radiologist, who noted the AN. We wondered how the original radiologist could've missed it. We dug up the old films and the AN was plain as day.

[arizonajack]

Sadly, many radiologists don't know what to look for. I originally received a "normal" report. After a year my ENT ordered up another MRI from a different radiologist, who noted the AN. We wondered how the original radiologist could've missed it. We dug up the old films and the AN was plain as day.

That's the best argument in favor of getting your images on CD as soon as they are ready, taking them home, and looking at them for your self.

There are hundreds of sample MRI images of ANs on the internet that you can compare yours to and see exactly where to look.

As Arles wrote - they do light up like a light bulb.