What are the primary causes of brain lesions in adults?

Fire_Medic_Dave

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Mon Jan-05-09 01:21 AM
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What are the primary causes of brain lesions in adults?

I have a friend who had a seizure for the first time in his life at 50. They found what they described as a very small lesion on his brain. They did a spinal tap they are waiting on blood work to come back. Thanks in advance.

David

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Jane Austin

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Mon Jan-05-09 01:23 AM
Response to Original message

1. I think by "lesions" they mean tumors.

When my sweet Romeo was diagnosed with a brain tumor, I believe the doggy neurologist called it a lesion.

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Jane Austin

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Mon Jan-05-09 01:30 AM
Response to Reply #1

2. I should add that many brain tumors are benign,

and those that aren't can often be treated by surgical removal and/or radiation.

BTW, radiation therapy has been vastly improved.

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Fire_Medic_Dave

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Mon Jan-05-09 01:43 AM
Response to Reply #1

6. There are instances where people have lesions and not tumors yes?

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Warpy

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Mon Jan-05-09 01:54 AM
Response to Reply #6

9. Yes, "lesion" is a catchall term for "something that

isn't supposed to be there." Some have small areas of necrosed brain tissue from small strokes. Some have evidence of old trauma with damage to structures. Others are congenital problems like arteriovenous malformation.

"Something that isn't supposed to be there" within the brain is never a nice thing to hear, but you can send your wishes his way.

Most tumors, should that be the cause, are benign.

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peace13

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Mon Jan-05-09 01:33 AM
Response to Original message

3. Here is what the Mayo has to say

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/lesion/AN00973

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kristopher

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Mon Jan-05-09 01:34 AM
Response to Original message

4. That would be any destruction of brain cells, I believe...

It's tempting to say too much right wing radio but seriously, strokes are probably right at the top of a list including tumors and trauma. I don't think minor damage itself is that rare for a 50 y/o but the seizure is another matter.

Just hope for the best.

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Fire_Medic_Dave

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Mon Jan-05-09 01:44 AM
Response to Reply #4

7. Definitely no stroke and no trauma.

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kristopher

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Mon Jan-05-09 01:58 AM
Response to Reply #7

11. Best wishes as you wait for the test.

It is frustrating, and ultimately of little value, to speculate like this.

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Fire_Medic_Dave

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Mon Jan-05-09 02:03 AM
Response to Reply #11

12. I disagree, I had a bone tumor removed in 1991.

The research I did was very valuable and made me much more capable of asking my doctors important questions. Thanks for the input though.

David

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elleng

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Mon Jan-05-09 02:56 AM
Response to Reply #12

16. Which is EXTREMELY IMPORTANT:

Edited on Mon Jan-05-09 03:01 AM by elleng

Patients need advocates, and such must be willing and able to ask doctors important questions. With such serious matters, there are likely to be several specialists consulted; do your best to keep them straight and ask each of them what they do, and why.

Like, why did they do a 'spinal tap?' What did they hope to learn from such?

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countingbluecars

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Mon Jan-05-09 01:34 AM
Response to Original message

5. My sister has brain lesions

associated with her MS.

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salvorhardin

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Mon Jan-05-09 01:50 AM
Response to Original message

8. If they did a spinal tap

Edited on Mon Jan-05-09 01:50 AM by salvorhardin

And they've ruled out stroke and cancer, it means her docs are probably testing him for multiple sclerosis.

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Fire_Medic_Dave

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Mon Jan-05-09 01:57 AM
Response to Reply #8

10. I don't believe they've ruled out cancer.

They have ruled out stroke, trauma and they did a spinal tap. Would MS have that sudden an onset and would a seizure be the first symptom?

David

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uppityperson

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Mon Jan-05-09 03:02 AM
Response to Reply #10

17. Could have had minor symptoms that weren't noticeable if MS.

MS is a weird one. Progression varies, I am really looking forward to having more funding on figuring out MS. Had a parent die from cancer/ms combo.

Best of luck to the friend.

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shireen

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Mon Jan-05-09 02:13 AM
Response to Original message

13. make sure they check his blood coagulation....

i have Anti-phospholipid Antibody Syndrome, an autoimmune condition that makes my blood too "thick". There are other blood coagulation disorders, like Factor V Leiden. I don't have brain lesions, but many APS patients have it due to small blood clots. Some APS symptoms can mimic MS (http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10670410 )

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Fire_Medic_Dave

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Mon Jan-05-09 02:14 AM
Response to Reply #13

14. Wouldn't you display stroke or at least TIA symptoms with those?

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shireen

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Mon Jan-05-09 01:43 PM
Response to Reply #14

18. not necessarily

from some accounts i've read, patients had no idea and the lesions were a surprise. There's some speculation that it's partly due to micro-clotting, which could manifest as a migrane (migrane is common for many APS patients who are not taking anticoagulants ... my frequent headaches stopped when i started coumadin).

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Fire_Medic_Dave

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Mon Jan-05-09 05:38 PM
Response to Reply #18

20. Interesting.

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elleng

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Mon Jan-05-09 02:53 AM
Response to Original message

15. "A lesion is

any abnormal tissue found on or in an organism, usually damaged by disease or trauma. Lesion is derived from the Latin word laesio which means injury."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lesion

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Jane Austin

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Mon Jan-05-09 03:17 PM
Response to Original message

19. Dave, please let us know what they find out

about your friend.

This has been an informative thread, and I pray for the best for your friend.

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Fire_Medic_Dave

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Mon Jan-05-09 05:39 PM
Response to Reply #19

21. Many thanks.

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Fire_Medic_Dave

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Fri Jan-09-09 12:37 AM
Response to Original message

22. Update

They sent my friend home told him not to drive until further notice. They decided they didn't really know what it was. At least they can admit it I guess.

David

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uppityperson

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Fri Jan-09-09 01:26 AM
Response to Reply #22

23. Best of luck and good health to him.

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Fire_Medic_Dave

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Fri Jan-09-09 11:33 AM
Response to Original message

24. Another update.

He had another seizure within 12 hours of being released from the hospital and has been readmitted.

David

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uppityperson

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Fri Jan-09-09 12:52 PM
Response to Reply #24

25. I fantasize about those Star Trek scanning devices sometimes, you know?

We know a lot but there is a lot we don't know. Again, best wishes to him, his family, friends.

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Warpy

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Fri Jan-09-09 01:58 PM
Response to Reply #24

26. The focus will probably be finding a drug cocktail

that keeps his seizures under control. We're lucky now that we have so many anticonvulsants that seizure control is generally within our ability chemically.

I would imagine they'll do another series of tests in a month or two to see if the lesion is growing and proceed from there.

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Fire_Medic_Dave

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Fri Jan-09-09 03:17 PM
Response to Reply #26

27. See I would think the focus would be on finding out why a man...

who never had a seizure before 50 now has had 3 in a week. Sometimes waiting is all you can do I guess. They adjusted his meds and sent him home again.

David

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