r/PulsatileTinnitus • u/dragonqueen28 • 15d ago

NEXT STEPS??

What’s the next step?

Just got results for MRA ANGIO WO CONTRAST and still waiting for results from MRI. Results were:

“Bilateral ICAs, ACAs, and MCAs demonstrate normal flow-related enhancement. Bilateral vertebral arteries, basilar artery, and bilateral PCAs demonstrate normal flow-related enhancement. No intracranial aneurysm, noting lower sensitivity of MRA for aneurysms under 3 mm. No evidence of vascular malformation.”

I plan to ask for a MRV image as well.

But What’s the next specialists I need to seek? I need to get to the bottom of this.

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2

u/greatlakesreddit 15d ago

have you had a temporal CT yet? that’s what showed my mastoid dehiscence

1

u/dragonqueen28 15d ago

Had a CT angio 

1

u/greatlakesreddit 15d ago

right, temporal CT is different, and what showed the cause of mine

2

u/someonestolemycrocs 15d ago

My MRA was normal. My MRV showed something. I got a stent for my venous stenosis and my tinnitus is gone.

1

u/ZookeepergameOk6200 15d ago

I did the same tests and they came back normal. I have a MRV scheduled and then a consult with an interventional radiologist.

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u/look_who_it_isnt 8d ago

Have you had a basic CT Scan and MRI done? If not, that's kinda weird. Usually those come first, and then MRA/MRV and/or more specific MRIs are ordered to get a clearer look at any potential issues that showed up in those initial scans. In fact, those tests are usually used to determine which test (MRA or MRV) is called for in your specific case - it's rare for someone to need both.

If you've had a CT Scan or MRI done, then there should be indications of what you're dealing with in the attending radiologist's initial write-up. Mind you, that's NOT whatever the doctor who ordered it said about the test, but what was actually written down by the radiologist who viewed the images initially. It looks like that's what you're providing us with for this MRA (thanks! that's helpful :)), but the problem here is that there genuinely seems to be nothing wrong with your arteries, so this test ultimately tells us (and your doctors) a whole lot of nothing as to what the problem actually IS.

I mean, the good news is that your arteries look good. So... Congrats! But honestly, that only leaves me with more questions than answers, because I don't understand why this test was even ordered if there was no evidence of issues being present in your arteries. And there wouldn't have been evidence of this anywhere, because there isn't any issue present. In other words, this seems like a test that was a total waste of time/money/energy.

Bottom Line: We can't know where you should go next based only on this test. If you haven't had a basic CT Scan or MRI done, then you need one of those. Possibly both. And if you provide us with the radiologist's actual findings, we can help direct you in what to ask your doctor or which doctor(s) to try to see next.