Lower Back X ray

[kate978]

I had a lower back xray and it doesnt seem to be normal can anyone tell me what this is?
Thanks

[philnoir]

That's good news about the bone.

I believe that you should now set about learning all you can about spina bifida. Here's a start--the Spina Bifida Associan.

http://www.spinabifidaassociation.org/site/c.evKRI7OXIoJ8H/b.8277225/k.5A79/What_is_Spina_Bifida.htm

Best wishes.

[kate4977]

Thank you for looking at the x Ray for me!
Turns out it is spina bifida and you can't see it in this x Ray but some sort of extra bone in my hip. Im not sure what the treatment for this will be.
Kate

[philnoir]

Kate, please don't take my suggestion as a medical opinion. I am not a medical doctor and have no qualification to diagnose or treat you.

But I know enough medicine to tell you that any diagnosis begins with the patient. The xray is not the patient. Any physician worth his white coat would first ask many questions and perform an appropriate physical examination. Using 'clues' from this history and physical, he might order further diagnostic tests, like an xray.

Reading an xray out of context is never a good idea. You can make mistakes this way. Also, its not a complete lumbar series -- I'd want to see more of your spine, especially the lumbar-sacral joint, before I took a guess as what that hook really is.

So, what I shared with you errs on the side of caution -- this could be a laminar fracture and therefore a potentially dangerous situation. I'm very happy to hear that you're seeing a doctor tomorrow.

Of course the xray could have different meanings. Whatever is sticking up is at a weird angle. I'd want to know if there was a traumatic injury, if it hurts, when it  hurts, and check your lower abdomen and legs to see if there's any nerve damage.

I also note what looks like a pin in near the right facet of L2-L3 -- have you had previous lumbar surgery ? There seems to be a great deal of inflammation around the entire L5 area and some of the facet joints look arthritic. I'd want
to follow up with MRI. But I'd first want to get to the bottom of that anomaly.

So, ask your doctor -- again, I'm surprised you don't have the radiology report. That would save us both a lot of worry.

Good luck with this. I'm hoping I'm completely wrong and its some kind of artifact we're looking at.

[kate4977]

Thank you for your reply, I am booked to see my doctor tomorrow. Do you think there is anything less serious that this could be?
Thank you!

[philnoir]

I believe we're looking at a right L5 laminar fracture, but it is difficult to say without any landmarks.

Didn't you get a radiology report?

I believe you'll need an MRI with its better resolution, and visualization soft tissue surrounding the vertebra for a more accurate diagnosis.

If it is a laminar fracture, you'll need surgical repair. The L5 vertebra bone supports the weight of the entire spinal column, and a laminar fracture destabilizes the corresponding facet joint and hence the spine. Do not bend the lower back.

Please consult with your doctor and an orthopedic surgeon as soon as possible for a proper medical opinion. I mean tomorrow. You are at risk for further traumatic injury to the lower spine.