Brain MRI

I have a brain MRI scheduled on Tuesday ordered by my neurologist because of muscle twitches and weakness in my legs. Can anyone tell me the purpose of this MRI and what normality/abnormalities the neuroligst is looking for?

hi archie.
a mri is a standard test done with new patients.
they will look for any sign of lesions or atrophy that may suggest a neurological disease.
with mnd's the brain and spinal cord is usually normal,this is because the umn's reside in the grey matter and a mri can not pick up lesion there. lmn's are in the neuro junction before the muscles so too wont show on mri but a emg can pick this up.

i hope your mri goes ok,i am clostrophobic so i cried on my first one but you get used to them.

Thanks for the clarification oily. Neurologist also ordered an MRI of my cervical spine area. I have moderate to severe stenosis in that area from a previous MRI and am wondering if that could cause muscle twitching in the legs. I already have serious numbing and tingling in both hands when I lay down on my side or even just on my back. The symptoms diminish when I sit or stand but are still present. EMG of arms shows serious carpal tunnel on one hand and milder carpal tunnel on the other. I didn't think it could be causing muscle twitching and weakness in the legs. Is this possible? Bowel and bladder function are fine, no muscle twitching in the arms or hands. I'm puzzled.

I had both of those done, but maybe it is also hoping to find something different?

yes archie,any back problem can cause legs to twitch.
my son has a weak back due to a childhood fall and is on long term pain meds now,he gets some whopping twitches in his legs.
he also has impaired kidney function which too contributes to the twitching.

hi Caroline, sorry to hear of your son's condition. I cannot imagine how that must make a mother feel. Unfortunately my twitches are now being accompanied with "lumpy" looking leg muscles and one definite indentation that looks like serious atrophy in my right ankle. I have no pain. When I had the the limb strength test last Thursday the neurologist remarked that my leg strength was the strongest of any male my age that she had ever tested and stronger that many men younger than I. It was nice to hear but I have always had very strong legs. But I can feel them weakening. I'm sure I'll be getting several repeat strength tests in time. I'd be very happy if this was all in my mind.

Legs getting weaker by the day. In the evening my walking is very awkward and choppy. Strangely enough I walk much better in the morning. Muscle twitches are beginning to show in my left arm. I find myself taking deep breaths more and more. Sometimes my eyelids will stick close. I've not had leg cramps in the morning since I began mild exercise and stretching of my legs on a recumbent bicycle but I will get them when I get up from a lying position if I'm not careful during the day. The legs that used to power racing bicycles up steep long hills 7 years ago are dimpled and puffy looking and of course twitching, twitching, twitching. I don't know what this "thing" is, I do know it's fast.