on the letter it states i have a artefact on the left parietal lobe can anyone please tell what this mean thanks as i now have to wait 3 months to see a nurlogist thanks
2006-07-28 03:50:40 · 14 answers · asked by emma217921 1 in Health ➔ Diseases & Conditions ➔ Other - Diseases
Talk to your referring doctor. The technologist never sends a letter with any radiological findings, as it is illegal for us to diagnose patients. The results can only have come from the radiologist. An artifact is something that distorts the image. The parietal lobes of the brain are near the ear, so were you wearing earrings? This could cause an artifact. Also, any metal in your mouth (especially retainers, braces, dentures and even some fillings) can cause an artifact. Even small pieces of metal in the soft tissues of the skull can cause artifact. Were you even exposed to welding/grinding/shrapnel? Movement will cause a motion artifact, but I am guessing since only the parietal lobe had artifact, motion is not an issue.
If you cannot talk to your neurologist quickly, your referring doctor should be able to answer your questions. Also, the radiologist I work for will consult with a patient, if they call and request it.
2006-07-28 08:33:50 · answer #1 · answered by Lissacal 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Hope this puts your mind at ease.
I work in both MRI and CT departments in a busy hospital. MRI is sadly susceptible to artefacts and can result in approximately 5% of examinations providing unsatisfactory images. In MRI, a strong magnet is used to create a picture of the area of interest (in your case your head) by aligning the hydrogen atoms in your body parallel to the magnetic field. A radiofrequency pulse is then continually fired to produce pictures of the area under investigation. This artefacts could have been caused if you moved your head slightly during the scan. Because the scan time is long, staying perfectly still is imperative (hence why we use all those pads and straps to hold you in palce). Any sort of movement will result in the images becoming blurred, and threfore of little value. However, not all the images will be affected. Artefacts may also be caused by any metal i.e. from a hair clip or from stiches from previous surgery etc. However, the safety form which the radiographer went through with you will have ensured you had no magnetic on your body, otherwise you would have been contraindicated for MRI and thus not allowed to enter the scanner.
2006-07-30 02:57:46 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sounds like there is an unspecified something not normal in the left parietal lobe part of your brain. Most of those summaries that come with MRI's are written by a technician that is not legally allowed to do any real diagnosis. That is probably why it is so vague. When you do see the Dr. you might want to check to see if you need to pick up and bring the MRI with you to the visit. Our hospital doesn't automatically send them to the Dr. I once had to leave my appt. and go get my MRI and CAT scan for my Dr. or reschedule my apptointment. After waiting 3 months I'd hate for you to have to reschedule.
2006-07-28 10:59:19 · answer #3 · answered by JordanB 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Depending on whether the artifact showed up on multiple imaging sequences, it might entail something to be concerned or with or it may just be an issue with the machine.
Normally, if the reader of the films is alarmed they will order additional films to be take.
Who sent the letter? Was this issue by the hospital or a radiologist. Normally, imaging is just one aspect of the diagnostic process. Very few radiologists would make any clinical diagnosis without knowing the patient's history. If this was at an outpatient imaging center, they likely didn't have a reading done but merely have the technologists look at the scan for quality.
2006-07-28 11:03:11 · answer #4 · answered by molex77 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
http://www.mercksource.com
artifact (ar·ti·fact) (ahr´tÄ-fakt”) [L. ars art + factum made] 1. any artificial product. In histology or microscopy, any structure or feature that has been introduced by processing a tissue. In radiology, a substance or structure not naturally present in living tissue, but of which an authentic image appears in a radiograph. 2. distortion or fuzziness of an image caused by manipulation, such as during compression of a digital file.
http://jnnp.bmjjournals.com/cgi/content/full/63/5/597
and this site will tell you about the left prietal lobe area of your brain.
just keep in mind that if it was serious they wouldn't have you wait three months. Every time a MRI is done a Radoilogist looks at it before sending it to your doctor.
2006-07-28 11:09:16 · answer #5 · answered by singlemom770 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
An artifact means that they dont know what it is and that it might be nothing at all.
It can be caused by a calibration error
The parietal lobe is the area of your brain behind the frontal and abode the occipital...............sort of on top at the back.
2006-07-28 10:59:32 · answer #6 · answered by cate 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You either have a substance or structure not naturally present in living tissue and it shows up on the MRI, or it can also mean the image was fuzzy or distorted.
2006-07-28 10:57:03 · answer #7 · answered by Angyles Cerddoriaeth 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You should contact the doctor who sent you for the MRI to go over the results with you.
2006-07-28 10:54:12 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
your doctor should have a copy of the letter you recieved. You should call them. Explain that your worried and im sure someone could explain what it means
2006-07-28 11:02:25 · answer #9 · answered by cazz 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Make an appointment straight away to discuss it with your GP.
2006-07-28 10:56:05 · answer #10 · answered by 'Dr Greene' 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋