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  • MRI for boys with scoliosis?

    hi, my son is going for an MRI with contrast...specialist said since hes a boy and scoliosis is more common with girls he wants to do an MRI, anyone else have to do this? hes already had xrays done. dont know anyone who have sons with scoliosis to ask.

  • #2
    Mri

    Hello. Well I don't know how things change in relation to boys but before my surgery I had to have a MRI scan. MRI scans allow surgeons, specialists and doctors to really see what is going on in each section and vertebrae of the spine. It allows them to make the most accurate of judgments because they can see the whole picture clearly and there is likely to be less guessing and more accurate assessments made.
    Hope this helps - Klara

    ----------------------------------------------------------------------
    Klara, living in South of England near London
    Braced for 2 years with TLSO brace original curve 56 degrees
    August 2004 curve was 68 degrees surgery
    Long-haul recovery, still on a few painkillers now because of a few hiccups along the way
    Curve now 29 degrees

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    • #3
      How old is your son? Scoliosis in very young children is not common. These very young kids should all have MRI's to rule out any spinal cord condition that may be contributing to the scoliosis. Having an MRI is not a bad thing. It will give the ortho a good picture of the soft tissue in and around the spine. My son was born with congenital scoliosis. He will turn 10 on May 31. He did have a minor spinal cord problem that was resolved with a simple surgery. It wouldn't be a bad idea to have a neurosurgeon read your son's MRI scan, not just the radiologist's report. Good luck and keep us posted.
      Carmell
      mom to Kara, idiopathic scoliosis, Blake 19, GERD and Braydon 14, VACTERL, GERD, DGE, VEPTR #137, thoracic insufficiency, rib anomalies, congenital scoliosis, missing coccyx, fatty filum/TC, anal stenosis, horseshoe kidney, dbl ureter in left kidney, ureterocele, kidney reflux, neurogenic bladder, bilateral hip dysplasia, right leg/foot dyplasia, tibial torsion, clubfoot with 8 toes, pes cavus, single umblilical artery, etc. http://carmellb-ivil.tripod.com/myfamily/

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      • #4
        My now 16 year old son was diagnosed with Scoliosis in 7th Grade. Kyphosis was added to the mix by 8th grade. He had an MRI done last summer . . . they told us that it was a fairly standard study to be done. Little is known/studied specific to boys and scoliosis, sad to say. His MRI was not enhanced . . .would be if it was needed, but as the study was normal, additional enhanced studies were not necessary . . .but each doctor may vary in what he wants to look at. It was a LONG procedure, the regular equipment broke down so they did his in a mobile van and there was little room, no possibility of playing music. Took probably 2 hours or more to finish and the tech was not nice to him. He came out crying, but after a few minutes of being mad and sad, he was OK with it. We could have scheduled it in 3 separate sessions or all in 1 big sessions. Hindsight, maybe 3 separate shorter sessions would have been a good idea, but who knows.

        BTW, my son's scoli has increased over the past 6 months (had been stable at 26 degrees ever since it was first detected) and his kyphosis continues to increase a few degrees every 6 months. There is so very little known about boys that it is even more frustrating. It is nice to see occasional posts about other BOYS with the problem. Good luck to you.

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        • #5
          Hi Joe's Mom,
          I also have a son (14) with scoliosis who happens to share your son's name! He had an MRI done in January to check for any neurological conditions that may contribute to the scoliosis (there were none). Fortunately, his MRI went smoothly. Our doctor recommended one because he felt my son will need surgery. Is your doctor thinking about surgery in the future?? Hope to keep in touch, I've been going through this forum like crazy, trying to find out as much as I can & it's nice to share with another mom who has a boy going through this.
          FlowerPower

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          • #6
            Joe is now wearing a brace . . . or at least sometimes wearing a brace may be more accurate. He sleeps in it every night and wears it a few more hours each day but refuses to wear it to school or when with friends on doing activities.

            We return to the orthopaedist in 2 weeks. Next XRay will be in October.

            If he continues to progress (Now at 44 degrees for Scoli and 31 degrees for Kyphosis) he will be a surgical candidate at the mid 50's.

            Have obtained a 504 plan at school that will allow him to opt out of any physical activity that causes pain (he also has a foot deformity) and will allow him to take the ACT or SAT in a adapted fashion, i.e. more time allowed and breaks from sitting allowed.

            Met with school today and set up plan for 11th grade and talked about 12th grade too. They have been cooperative and helpful. We talked about what if's today . . .if surgery happens at all and during High School years what educational options are there for him.

            He has been having pain in his back since wearing the brace . . .don't know if that is good or bad. PT he gets twice each week too and PT said today he has sore spots that are tightness in the muscles and she did some myofascial releases in those spots which we will try at home too.

            Life is very complex for our kids sad to say. But his is a trooper.

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            • #7
              my 15 year old son will be having surgery for kyphosis on 6/21. I think he is at about 70 degrees. He wore a milwaukee brace at night for 1 1/2 years. He also has very high arches do to CMT. We are getting more anxious about the surgery every day. Lots of good info to be found on this forum.......thanks to all.

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              • #8
                hajjball,

                I may have asked you this before, so forgive me if I did. Has anyone every told you there is a connection between CMT and Scoliosis/Kyphosis? My daughter had surgery for her Kyphoscoliosis (she has both Kyphosis and Scoliosis) in December and was seen by a Neurologist two weeks ago looking into the fact that the CMT may be the underlying cause of her back problems.
                I'm just curious if anyone had mentioned this connection to you before as no one mentioned it to me until I stumbled across Scoliosis as "a side effect" of CMT while I was searching the net for info on CMT. Good luck with surgery. We will keep you and your family in our prayers on the 21st.

                Mary Lou

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                • #9
                  Sam was diagnosed with the CMT just about the same time we noticed the kyphosis. We have no family history of CMT, and his seems to be very mild. He had DNA blood tests done so we know he has type 1A.

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                  • #10
                    Originally posted by MySonMyHeart
                    hi, my son is going for an MRI with contrast...specialist said since hes a boy and scoliosis is more common with girls he wants to do an MRI, anyone else have to do this? hes already had xrays done. dont know anyone who have sons with scoliosis to ask.

                    I'm a girl but I too have had MRI's Yes two of them the first one they did in order to see if my scoliosis was caused by fluid between the vertabrate the second was to see why there was any pain, don't worry a MRI is'nt a big deal and it's worth it to find out if it's a fluid build up. If you want to talk about any scoliosis stuff feel free to email me or send a private message I'll answer anything I can I'm young and have had the surgery fairly recently.
                    Erika
                    Posterior spinal fusion 2001
                    52* before first surgery
                    23* after first surgery

                    Rod removal surgery DEC 2005
                    33* before surgery
                    30* after surgery

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                    • #11
                      MRI and still waiting!

                      Hi my son went for his MRI on May 27th, it was 2 hours long and for a 13yr he did very well, didnt move at all. They told us the the doctor will be sent the report, and they gave us the copies and that we were to give them to his doctor..we brought then there about a week later, I called yesterday and they said he still has'nt read them yet. He went in April for an xray that said he has a 25° upper curve. My question is does it always take forever to get the results? He went for the MRI with contrast (dye) And another thing the last info we got on his curve was in April, could there be a change in some kids in 2 months time? I think hes grown some since then. Full of questions over here!

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                      • #12
                        Hi,

                        My son had an MRI in January of this year and the doctor didn't report the results back to us until we saw him in March (the length of time between appts. was due to us having to cancel and reschedule). The MRI was clear, so I am guessing that if there was something serious to report we would have gotten a phone call. Some doctors may work out of different hospitals on certain days, but it is a good idea to phone the office if you feel something is taking too long. As for scoliosis progressing in a couple of months, everyone is different. My son has been steadily growing since September and hasn't stopped. His scoliosis also seems to be progressing about 1 degree a month. Hope it kind of answered your question.

                        FlowerPower

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                        • #13
                          The doctor my kids see is at the hospital campus. When we had MRI's done, they were put into the computer for the doctor to see the same day. I'd probably bug the doctor's office if your not getting quick enough results. Emily

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                          • #14
                            update on MRI

                            hi, we went to go see my sons doctor today to review his MRI results..his MRI was normal, seems a growth spurt of 9" a yr ago could have helped the scoliosis along, so he has to go every 6 months for an xray to see if theres any changes, and in the meantime he will have to be fitted for a charleston brace for bedtime use. hes 13 and 0 on the risser so he will be wearing one for many years. anyone in a charleston brace? hows is it working for your curve?

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                            • #15
                              I just did a search on the forums for charleston brace. There are a lot of threads out there already on it if you want to look. Kris

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