BeewellwithMS podcast by Dr Agne Straukiene
What Your MRI Isn’t Telling You About MS | Prof. Daniel Ontaneda
What It Reveals | Professor Daniel Ontaneda“My MRI is stable—but I don’t feel stable.”It’s a sentence we hear in clinic, and it deserves a thoughtful answer.In this BeeWellwithMS episode, I’m joined by Professor Daniel Ontaneda, neurologist and MS researcher at Cleveland Clinic, to explore what MRI can reveal—and why it doesn’t always explain everything you feel.We unpack the language of MRI reports, from lesions and “black holes” to brain atrophy. We discuss silent lesions, chronic inflammation, paramagnetic rim lesions and the central vein sign, alongside emerging imaging techniques that could help bring the scan and the lived experience of MS closer together.Daniel also shares his approach to monitoring scans, when contrast can be useful, and what excites him about 7T MRI and better spinal cord imaging.Your scan matters. So does your story. ⏱️ CHAPTERS00:00 Welcome: 02:33 What actually is an MS lesion? 04:36 Understanding T2 lesions, contrast and “black holes” 09:02 Do black holes predict more severe MS? 10:28 Why can new lesions appear without symptoms? 13:23 “My MRI is stable, but I don’t feel stable” 18:14 The biology routine MRI can miss 19:30 Chronic inflammation and changes beyond lesions 22:35 New imaging markers: looking deeper into MS 24:22 Paramagnetic rim lesions and chronic activity 26:53 The central vein sign: identifying MS lesions 30:29 Brain atrophy: what does it really mean? 33:17 How hydration and time of day affect brain measurements 35:46 Brain health, lifestyle and interpreting your report 37:52 Monitoring MRI: rebaseline scans and contrast 40:00 How often should you have an MRI? 42:28 Personalising monitoring and spinal cord scans 43:28 The future: 7T MRI and sharper spinal cord imaging 47:00 What Daniel wishes everyone understood about MRI 48:46 Bringing your scan and your experience together 50:54 Closing thoughts: stay curious and ask questions️ Hosted by Dr Agne Straukiene ️ Guest: Professor Daniel Ontaneda, Cleveland Clinic Have you ever felt that your MRI report didn’t reflect how you were feeling? Share your experience or a question below.Subscribe to BeeWellwithMS for more conversations about MS science, care and everyday life. https://www.beewellwithms.com This conversation is for general education. MRI findings and monitoring schedules need to be interpreted with your own clinical team, taking your individual circumstances into account.#MultipleSclerosis #MRI #BeeWellwithMS Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/beewellwithms-podcast-by-dr-agne-straukiene--5762905/support .
