Conditions our MRI scans have found

A harmless, congenital, thin-walled pocket of cerebrospinal fluid.

This is when extra CSF is surrounding one of the brain blood vessels. Enlarged perivascular spaces in the brain are common, but can sometimes be associated with cerebral small vessel disease.

The basilar artery is a blood vessel located at the back of the brain. It supplies oxygen-rich blood to portions of the brain and central nervous system. Ectasia of the basilar artery is a dilation of the artery that is not defined as an aneurysm (an abnormal bulge or dilation that occurs in the wall of the blood vessel). Ectasia of the basilar artery may be a marker for a high risk of stroke. Symptoms, if present, are related to compression of nearby cranial nerves or brain structures and may include headache and visual disturbances, including vision loss.

Meningiomas are the most frequent primary brain tumors, however, most are benign (non-cancerous). A meningioma is a tumor that forms on membranes, called meninges, that cover the brain and spinal cord. The underlying cause is not well known but exposure to ionizing radiation is the most important risk factor for meningioma formation. Most asymptomatic (do not cause symptoms) meningiomas remain either the same size or grow very slowly over a long time. Sometimes a meningioma, because of its size and/or location, can cause symptoms including visual changes, extremity weakness, confusion or seizures.

Encephalomalacia describes softening of brain tissue, usually from a past stroke, trauma or infection, or could be congenital (from birth). The most common cause of encephalomalacia is stroke, which has the same major risk factors that lead to heart disease (high blood pressure, poor cholesterol levels, diabetes and smoking).

A localized area (i.e. focus) that appears abnormal on MRI brain images. This finding is nonspecific, meaning it is difficult to say what caused it.