NEUROQUANT MRI
Updated: Oct 18
Many years ago, my Lyme doctor ordered a NeuroQuant MRI for me. I had to travel to get it done, because there wasn't one available near me. Here is what this test is and what it can and can't tell you.
A quick-view graphic with the key points is at the bottom of this post.
WHAT A NEUROQUANT MRI IS
- NeuroQuant is software used along with a regular brain MRI. It doesn't replace the MRI.
- After the MRI, the software measures the size (volume) of different parts of the brain, like the hippocampus.
- It compares each area to normal values for people of the same age, sex and head size.
- It was the first FDA-cleared software of its kind for measuring brain volume on MRI.
HOW IT IS USED
- Doctors use it to track brain volume changes over time.
- It is also used with conditions like multiple sclerosis, dementia, Alzheimer's and traumatic brain injury.
- Some mold literate doctors use it as one more clue when mold illness or CIRS is suspected.
MOLD AND LYME PATTERNS
- In a 2017 talk summarized by LymeDisease.org, Dr. Raj Patel described different brain patterns for mold and for Lyme.
- For mold, he described swelling and enlargement of the forebrain and cortical gray matter, a smaller caudate and a larger pallidum.
- For Lyme, he described a smaller putamen and a larger right thalamus.
- Keep in mind these patterns come from one doctor's talk. NeuroQuant is a tool to go along with an MRI, not a diagnosis on its own.
WHAT RESEARCH SHOWS IN LYME
- 2022: A small Johns Hopkins study of people with post-treatment Lyme disease used other brain imaging methods (not NeuroQuant). It found differences in brain activity and white matter compared to healthy people. The authors noted the study was small.
WHAT THIS MEANS FOR YOU
- A NeuroQuant MRI is one more clue, not a final answer.
- Dr. Neil Nathan and Dr. Marty Ross both rely on the urine mycotoxin test to see if mold toxins are actually in your body. More on testing is in my Mold education post:
RELATED POSTS
Brain Fog:
Lab Tests on Various Topics:
ALL MOLD AND CIRS POSTS
Mold Directory:
Mold (education):
Mold - Possible Solutions:
Steps to Overcome Mold:
Mold and Lyme Treatment Order:
CIRS and Related Mold Issues:
Find a Mold Literate Doctor:
EC3 Micro Balance for Mold:
Binders:
Cholestyramine (CSM):
MMP-9:
SOURCES
Johns Hopkins, A Multimodal Neuroimaging Study of Brain Abnormalities and Clinical Correlates in Post Treatment Lyme Disease, PLoS ONE (2022):
LymeDisease.org, Dealing with Lyme Disease and Mold Illness at the Same Time, with Dr. Raj Patel (2017):
Dr. Neil Nathan and Dr. Marty Ross on urine mycotoxin testing (2026)
American Health Imaging, What Is NeuroQuant and Why It Matters (2020, updated 2025)
Disclaimer: Rise Above Lyme makes no claims about any possible benefit of using any product mentioned within this site. Always consult with your doctor before adding anything. The information shared is based on personal experience, years of accumulated researched resources from Lyme Literate doctors and polls conducted within Lyme groups from actual patient experience using these solution ideas.
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