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A 28-year-old female asked:
Can brain inflammation be present (lupus) even if brain mri is neg? i get bad brain fogginess, confusion, and lightheadedness. 10 mg prednisone helps.
2 doctor answers • 8 doctors weighed in
Dr. William Goldieanswered
Pediatric Neurology 50 years experience
Vasculitis?: Vasculitis in the brain is a serious condition. Sle is a possible cause, but there are other causes. Mri is useful for structural defects but may not be useful in conditions like this. A negative MRI does not rule out vasculitis and does not rule out serious disease.
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A Verified Doctor commented
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A combined PET-MRI scan can help analyze function (or disfunction) as well as localize it. Insurance may not cover such a scan, however.
Aug 25, 2012
Dr. Joseph Weineranswered
Psychiatry 44 years experience
Yes: A brain MRI can be normal if you have lupus and confusion. It's good that Prednisone helps, because sometimes the Prednisone makes confusion worse. It shows that the Prednisone is working well as an anti-inflammatory drug in the brain too. Hope this answer helps.
Created for people with ongoing healthcare needs but benefits everyone.
5.4k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
Last updated Jun 30, 2014
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