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Would an MRI show fibromyalgia?
1975transplant posted:
My friend has many symptoms that seem fibromyalgia-like to me. I advised her to ask to be tested. Her neurologist told her that she did not have fibromyalgia because if she did it would have shown up on the CAT scan or MRI. Is that true? Would one of those scans show fibromyalgia? The doctor told her it is just stress.
Thanks!
Thanks!
5 Replies |Watch This Discussion | Report This| Share this:Would an MRI show fibromyalgia?My friend has many symptoms that seem fibromyalgia-like to me. I advised her to ask to be tested. Her neurologist told her that she did not have fibromyalgia because if she did it would have shown up on the CAT scan or MRI. Is that true? Would one of those scans show fibromyalgia? The doctor told her it is just stress.<br />Thanks!
xperky responded:
I have heard of new testing for FM with MRI's of the brain, but I'm not sure if it is becoming a standard test yet. Last I heard, there was more research to do in that area.
If you can get more specifics about what the doctor was looking for, that would be very interesting to us FMers!
It would feel somehow better if there were some concrete test for FM. It does seem like nothing in life is black or white though, always somewhere in the gray area.
If you can get more specifics about what the doctor was looking for, that would be very interesting to us FMers!
It would feel somehow better if there were some concrete test for FM. It does seem like nothing in life is black or white though, always somewhere in the gray area.
With Compassion,
Margaret
Margaret
Report This| Share this:Would an MRI show fibromyalgia?I have heard of new testing for FM with MRI's of the brain, but I'm not sure if it is becoming a standard test yet. Last I heard, there was more research to do in that area.<br /> <br />If you can get more specifics about what the doctor was looking for, that would be very interesting to us FMers! <br /> <br />It would feel somehow better if there were some concrete test for FM. It does seem like nothing in life is black or white though, always somewhere in the gray area.
georgia888 replied to xperky's response:
Hello Margaret,
Four years ago when I went through the gamut of visiting various doctors in search of a diagnosis, a neurologist did order a brain MRI under the suspician of MS. Fortunately, it showed negative for MS but it did reflect more gray (or was it white?) matter. I never did discuss this with the doctor so I don't know if it is due to normal aging (I was 52 at the time) or indeed symptomatic of Fibro.
Your insight is always appreciated.
georgia
Four years ago when I went through the gamut of visiting various doctors in search of a diagnosis, a neurologist did order a brain MRI under the suspician of MS. Fortunately, it showed negative for MS but it did reflect more gray (or was it white?) matter. I never did discuss this with the doctor so I don't know if it is due to normal aging (I was 52 at the time) or indeed symptomatic of Fibro.
Your insight is always appreciated.
georgia
Report This| Share this:Would an MRI show fibromyalgia?Hello Margaret,<br />Four years ago when I went through the gamut of visiting various doctors in search of a diagnosis, a neurologist did order a brain MRI under the suspician of MS. Fortunately, it showed negative for MS but it did reflect more gray (or was it white?) matter. I never did discuss this with the doctor so I don't know if it is due to normal aging (I was 52 at the time) or indeed symptomatic of Fibro.<br /> <br />Your insight is always appreciated.<br /> <br />georgia
I saw one place where they did functional MRI to show pain response. I can't cite the source but I think it was a study of chronic pain not FM specifically.
Report This| Share this:Would an MRI show fibromyalgia?I saw one place where they did functional MRI to show pain response. I can't cite the source but I think it was a study of chronic pain not FM specifically.
Mark Pellegrino, MD responded:
Hello 1975transplant,
A typical CAT scan or MRI of the brain (or elsewhere) will not show fibromyalgia. These tests are often ordered to look for other possible causes of one's symptoms. For example, a brain MRI may be ordered to look for demyelinating lesions seen in multiple sclerosis. Many types of abnormalites can be seen with these tests, but not from fibromyalgia.
If a CAT scan or MRI are normal, that does not rule out fibromyalgia. Although fibro does not cause specific abnormalities in the typical CAT or MRI studies, there was a study done 10 years ago that reported fibro-specific abnormalites on a special type of MRI called a functional MRI.
Here's a link to this study's summary. http://www.nfra.net/fibromyalgia_gracely1.htm
Functional MRI's are only available in specialized research centers so they are not being routinely performed on patients with suspected fibromyalgia. The best way to diagnose fibromyalgia is to listen to the patient's specific complaints of widespread pain and associated symptoms, and finding typical painful tender points on the exam. Other testing may be helpful to evaluate other conditions that may mimic fibro or co-exist with it.
I hope this info helps!
Dr. P
A typical CAT scan or MRI of the brain (or elsewhere) will not show fibromyalgia. These tests are often ordered to look for other possible causes of one's symptoms. For example, a brain MRI may be ordered to look for demyelinating lesions seen in multiple sclerosis. Many types of abnormalites can be seen with these tests, but not from fibromyalgia.
If a CAT scan or MRI are normal, that does not rule out fibromyalgia. Although fibro does not cause specific abnormalities in the typical CAT or MRI studies, there was a study done 10 years ago that reported fibro-specific abnormalites on a special type of MRI called a functional MRI.
Here's a link to this study's summary. http://www.nfra.net/fibromyalgia_gracely1.htm
Functional MRI's are only available in specialized research centers so they are not being routinely performed on patients with suspected fibromyalgia. The best way to diagnose fibromyalgia is to listen to the patient's specific complaints of widespread pain and associated symptoms, and finding typical painful tender points on the exam. Other testing may be helpful to evaluate other conditions that may mimic fibro or co-exist with it.
I hope this info helps!
Dr. P
Report This| Share this:Would an MRI show fibromyalgia?Hello 1975transplant,<br /> <br />A typical CAT scan or MRI of the brain (or elsewhere) will not show fibromyalgia. These tests are often ordered to look for other possible causes of one's symptoms. For example, a brain MRI may be ordered to look for demyelinating lesions seen in multiple sclerosis. Many types of abnormalites can be seen with these tests, but not from fibromyalgia.<br /> <br />If a CAT scan or MRI are normal, that does not rule out fibromyalgia. Although fibro does not cause specific abnormalities in the typical CAT or MRI studies, there was a study done 10 years ago that reported fibro-specific abnormalites on a special type of MRI called a functional MRI.<br /> <br />Here's a link to this study's summary. <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.nfra.net/fibromyalgia_gracely1.htm">http://www.nfra.net/fibromyalgia_gracely1.htm</a> <br /> <br />Functional MRI's are only available in specialized research centers so they are not being routinely performed on patients with suspected fibromyalgia. The best way to diagnose fibromyalgia is to listen to the patient's specific complaints of widespread pain and associated symptoms, and finding typical painful tender points on the exam. Other testing may be helpful to evaluate other conditions that may mimic fibro or co-exist with it.<br /> <br />I hope this info helps!<br /> <br />Dr. P
1975transplant replied to Mark Pellegrino, MD's response:
Dr. Pellegrino:
Thanks so much for your excellent explanation of the inability of a CAT scan or MRI to show fibromyalgia. I will share the information with my friend. She went 300 miles to see the "specialist" of Neurology that told her that she could not have fibromyalgia. She has been told that there are no more tests to give her and they are baffled by her case. We live in a rural area so there are no specialists near at hand. I will recommend to her that she travel the 65 miles to see the nearest doctor of Rheumatology for a diagnosis. I hope she can at least have the relief of knowing what she is dealing with.
Thanks so much for your help!
Thanks so much for your excellent explanation of the inability of a CAT scan or MRI to show fibromyalgia. I will share the information with my friend. She went 300 miles to see the "specialist" of Neurology that told her that she could not have fibromyalgia. She has been told that there are no more tests to give her and they are baffled by her case. We live in a rural area so there are no specialists near at hand. I will recommend to her that she travel the 65 miles to see the nearest doctor of Rheumatology for a diagnosis. I hope she can at least have the relief of knowing what she is dealing with.
Thanks so much for your help!
Report This| Share this:Would an MRI show fibromyalgia?Dr. Pellegrino:<br />Thanks so much for your excellent explanation of the inability of a CAT scan or MRI to show fibromyalgia. I will share the information with my friend. She went 300 miles to see the "specialist" of Neurology that told her that she could not have fibromyalgia. She has been told that there are no more tests to give her and they are baffled by her case. We live in a rural area so there are no specialists near at hand. I will recommend to her that she travel the 65 miles to see the nearest doctor of Rheumatology for a diagnosis. I hope she can at least have the relief of knowing what she is dealing with.<br />Thanks so much for your help!
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