Personal: Spinal and Health Information

Posting in case this information is helpful to another ependymoma patient with a similar tumor.

Vitals:

My blood pressure, heart, organ function, nutrient counts, protein counts all seem to be normal at age 33.  The exception is my Vitamin D is to the low range, which I am trying to remedy with supplementation.  (Range of consistently done blood tests include: Full CMP (full blood counts) and CBC (glucose, kidney, liver functions, electrolytes, calcium, protein), thyroid, IRON and TIBC, Vitamin B12 and Vitamin D.)

My Thoraic and Lumbar MRI have been consistent before and after surgery/radiation.  There does seem to be obvious damage specific to the radiation treatments:

The full MRI report: 

One year following surgery, 6 months following radiation.  Surgery relieved pressure on the spine and minimized many unpleasant side effects but not the loss of limb function.  There was no resection from surgery, a biopsy only.  Radiation has made pressure effects much worse than even preop.  If I wasn't told I needed radiation by the entire Barrows board for better chance of survival, I would not risked it knowing how bad the side effects would be.  According to surgeon cutting tumor out is not worth risk if can be contained with the radiation. 

T-Spine: Vertebral body heights are preserved.  Normal alignment.  Marked fatty marrow change from T8 and below, consistent with radiation.  T10-L1 laminoplasty redemonstrated.  Marrow signal is otherwise normal.  No significant degenerative changes.

Ventral epidural CSF collection from level of T3-T4 to level of T11 with posterior displacement and the draping of the cord is redemonstrated and not significantly changed in appeareance.  Consistent with arachnoid cyst.

Stable appearance of heterogeneous t2 signal within the distal thoracic cord extending to the conus.  Development of a tiny SVF intensity elliptical structure dorsally at the level of T11, measuring 4x9x23 mm in AP, transverse, and craniocaudal dimensions respectively.  Difficult to ascertain whether is intrameduallary or extrameduallary.
No abnormal enhancement, however, did not enhance preoperatively.

L-Spine:  Vertebral body heights are preserved.  Normal alignment.  Stable laminoplasty postsurgical changes extending from above to L1.  Fatty post-radiation marrow changes from the L2.  Stable heterogeneous, slightly expansile T2 signal abnormality within the conus.  Stable mild ventral displacement of the nerve roots from L1-L3, likely related to a dorsal CSF loculation.  No abnormal enhancement.  Stable minor multilevel disc bulges, without significant spinal canal or neural foraminal stenosis at any level.