The MRI Results

This morning I received a call from Joey's pediatrician, Dr. J, with the results of his MRI...Joey has a fluid-filled cyst measuring approximately 3cm x 2cm, the fluid is cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). It is located in the right middle cranial fossa, which is over the right ear in the temporal lobe.

Ummmm, yeah. She really couldn't tell us much more, since neurology is not her specialty, and currently we do not have a neurologist since they all decided that they had done everything they could in regards to investigations. Obviously not! Apparently the only people who thought a repeat MRI was necessary were Joey's parents and this pediatrician, and obviously we were on to something.

What Dr. J could tell us was that the cyst is relatively large, and is likely contributing to his symptoms (low muscle tone, lack of speech, cognitive delay etc.) but that it would be unrealistic to think that once the cyst has been dealt with Joey will turn into a "normal" little boy. She did say that this is a big indicator that Joey's brain did not develop correctly in utero, likey in the first trimester. She could not say why this wasn't found on the first MRI at 7 months or what that could mean, and she could not tell us for sure what the best course of action will be. What she did say that there are a few treatment options in the case of a cyst that is obviously symptomatic...it can be left alone and monitored regularly for growth, a shunt could be placed in the cyst to drain it to another part of the body where the fluid will be absorbed or we could be looking at a craniotomy to remove the cyst. It all sounds pretty scary to me.

So an "urgent" referral has been made to both a neurologist and a neurosurgeon at the Hospital for Sick Kids in Toronto. Funny enough, when we left there 2 weeks ago after the MRI we were sure that we'd seen the last of that place for a while, and now it looks like we'll be spending more time there than ever.

We will update again once we know more.

- P, J & J