# of lesions: a scary number

[anaishunter]

Many of us have probably gone through this: the MRI results come back and somewhere in the readout, the # of lesions is mentioned. Whether small or large, # of lesions will always be a scary number. Nobody wants to hear about lesions in the brain or the spine.

My first MRI listed lesions but did not state a number. I was terrified when I read the report of my second MRI done 2 months later: 20 lesions. Yet, I barely had any symptom. Was the ms in my brain a hidden bomb ready to explode?

My neuro's explanation made a lot of sense to me: while the number was high, he ensured me that the lesions were in areas of the brain that are highly redundant. Our brains are simply amazing. In my 50s, I just want another 20 years of my brain rewiring itself until there's nothing left to rewire...

[greaterexp]

I understand how you may feel. When I saw the first MRI report, I was so disheartened. “Numerous” and “multiple” were the only number-related terms used. How many is that?

Thanks for pointing out it isn’t necessarily the number of lesions that is important.

[RoseySawyer]

When I was paralyzed I had over 50 or more lesions that we're active through out my spine and brain. The lesions covered my spine and brain completely. When I got out of the hospital two months later, they were all gone except a little lesion that would not deactivate. But my MS Neuro got it to leave a couple of weeks later. My last MRI showed no lesions at all. I'm glad it's under control. But as soon as open enrollment gets here I can get myself insured again and make sure everything is still under control. It's scary. 😕❤🌷

[anaishunter in reply to RoseySawyer]

Thank you for sharing some positive outcome. Hope for better days can all get us through the rough patches.

[Raingrrl]

Hi anaishunter ! I have a bazillion lesions on my brain MRI and got the same explanation you did. I’ve been lucky to have minimal symptoms that are mostly hidden. The most troublesome lesion is in my brain stem and that sucker won’t budge. I too want another 20 years of rewiring.

[agate]

It isn't the number of lesions so much as their location--and whether or not they're "active." I've had 5 MRIs and not one of them gave a specific number but reading that there were many of them left me wondering if there were too many to count.