Looking for more info on what this head CT means

I believe this is an MRI report but they are also using your CT in interpreting the issue. I assume you have had both. CT is excellent in viewing bone. MRI is excellent at imaging soft tissue. The brain is soft tissue.

I know close to nothing about the brain . I'm familiar with medical terminology so maybe I can help qualify some of what this is saying in a very basic way. A lesion is a very broad term and means there is damaged tissue. It is not specific to the brain nor does it say what is wrong. A lesion is different than say a solid tumor. In this case, it appears the lesion is not presenting as anything specific so the radiologist qualifies it as non-specific. They don't quite know what it is. Often lesions and tumors will have unique characteristics that are specific to different diseases/conditions, but this lesion does not. They have a clue, based on your CT, that it may be associated with a rare condition called fibrous dysplasia. I found this explanation online: "Fibrous dysplasia is a rare, benign bone disease. It occurs when abnormal fibrous, scar-like tissue replaces healthy bone." Benign means not cancerous. Again I am not a neurologist, but it sounds like this may be more of a space-occupying problem. The fact that it is there (and could press on other brain structure) could be more of the problem than what the lesion actually is. It doesn't appear to be causing any more issues outside of that at this time. The neurosurgeon is needed to decide if/when to remove it. There doesn't appear to be a big rush or emergency. The neurologist may also not know what it really is either until they remove it and have it biopsied. This doesn't seem to call out any type of brain tumor cancer if that is your greatest fear and creating massive anxiety, particularly if associated with an apparent fibrous dysplasia skull problem. Has anyone discussed that diagnosis with you?

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8594273/
It looks like the dysplasia is the most benign type of lesion in the calvarium but that is a lay person's quick read and your doctor will explain.

In the table here (scroll) it is listed as benign. Fibrous dysplasia is defined by the ground glass appearance.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6206383/

Salient features of benign skull lesions on CT and MRI
Skull lesion CT MRI
Fibrous dysplasia Typically homogeneously sclerotic with “ground-glass appearance”. Variable signal depending on amount of mineralised stroma and fibrous tissue. Most commonly hypointense on T1 and T2.

Lobulation involved dents or lobules formed.

I have the same exact symptoms. I had a CT but without dye. They were looking for an acoustic neuroma and I have also been diagnosed with trigeminal and occipital neuralgia, which in my opinion don't fit. The numbness is from behind the ear on scalp across face and includes left eye and left side of nose (which is also twitching).

Did you have dye for you MRI? I am actually glad for you that a diagnosis was found. It is hard chasing a diagnosis and I gave up. You have inspired me to try harder. My neurologist is a little, er, laid back. We are like friends after all these years. My tells me to get another neuro and go out for coffee with this one 🙂 Good luck with this and let us know what happens!!

The test was a CT Head WO Contrast. After the report was posted in my portal, the dr called and said I needed to see a neurosurgeon who would probably do a biopsy. I didn't ask any questions or know what to ask, I wasn't expecting anything since the day before she said the low vitamin B12 could cause periodic facial numbing. Since then, I keep googling stuff that is making me worried. I did see the same thing you saw about the fibrous dysplasia but also saw there are cases where those lesions are found to be malignant. I also saw that cancer that metastasized (sp?) from breast cancer is normally found in the skull area. But then I also saw that it is rare for DCIS to metastasize. My primary doctor put a stat order in to see the neurosurgeon, but they don't seem to be in a big rush so in my mind either it's really bad and can't do anything about it or it's not concerning at this time. Your explanation makes me feel better, thank you!

Your symptoms sound similar to mine. My nose doesn't twitch but I get periodic stabs in that area that don't last long. My left eye was twitching last week. Did you test your B12 levels? After my doctor said that B12 levels cause that, I talked to some others who told me of people they knew who had the same thing happen to them with low B12 levels. I was good with the diagnosis stopping there. Or if the neurosurgeon could at least call and tell me what they see after reviewing the results, that would be helpful. But, I also understand they are probably busy and short-staffed and can't get to everyone as quickly as we want them to.

My test CT was without dye. I talked to a friend of mine who had a 15-year-old son recently pass away from brain cancer, she wasn't familiar with fibrous dysplasia but said the next step may be an MRI with contrast. That may go in sync with what sb4ca said above where they would see the soft tissue info on an MRI.

Waiting is the worst, my mind is running rampant.

@hank24 There can also be physical reasons to have facial numbness and tingling. I have experienced this too as well as vertigo, and it was related to cervical spine problems in combination with thoracic outlet syndrome. Basically, one side of my neck is too tight which affects the alignment of my jaw on that side compressing nerves near the ear canal that go to the face. Muscle spasms stronger on one side of my neck were independently rotating my upper cervical vertebrae and with C1 & C2 rotated, all I had to look was look upward and it started vertigo.

Doctors are going to do tests, and send you to specialists for an opinion. It may be an incidental finding. If you are having physical alignment issues of the head and neck, a physical therapist can help.

It may be something simple like this, and you don't know until you have the appointment with the specialist. Dr. Google cannot help here since he just repeats what he sees and makes everyone nervous. You can just take it off of your plate for now and wait for the appointment for further information.

Jennifer

I cannot look up at all without symptoms @jenniferhunter . Interesting about the neck!

I made a list of all the things that trigger facial numbness for me (though lately is has been constant) and it is very long and varied (including noise, weather change, massage of shoulder blade, nasal sprays and more). I feel it is impossible to chase down and treat to be honest.

But @hank24 has had imaging that shows a very possible cause so in a way is ahead of the game, hard as it may be. It sounds like the lesion is benign. At this point (and I went through this waiting for breast cancer results) Netflix is your friend and maybe even ask your doc for a small amount of Ativan if you are anxious. Whatever distracts you. You can research later when you know what is going on. Again, seems like more than a good chance it is benign. Keep us posted!