MRI Results, what do they mean!!

I injured myself at work 1 month ago. I have had persistant pain since then and have been doing physio twice a week.  But with no real relief.

I have just picked my results from my MRI it states;

All of the intervertebral discs of the lumosacral spine are normal in signal and morphology with no effacement of the thecal sac withing the lumosacral spinal canal and no effacement of the nerve roots withing the neural foramina.  Focal lesions of increased signal intensity on both T1 and T2 are noted within the vertebral bodies of T12, L3 and L4. These have the appearance of haemangiomata.
The conus medullaris extends down to the level of L1.

CONCULSION:
Multiple vertebral haemangiomata.

What does all this mean??

[speciality]

These are lesions/tumors that can be benign and can have soemthing to do with Multiple sclerosis.

[watson01]

Hi jodestar!  

I just read your posts and I feel just awaful that you are going through such a hard time.  The link below tells you a little about vertebral hemangiomas and how to treat them.    http://www.ijri.org/article.asp?issn=0971-3026;year=2006;volume=16;issue=1;spage=37;epage=40;aulast=Suparna

Vertebral hemangiomas are benign vascular lesions or tumors of the spine. Though vertebral hemangiomas are frequently seen, they are rarely symptomatic. Pain is the commonest symptom.  Put simply, you have several benign (non-cancer) tumors of the blood vessels that supply blood/nutrients to the vertebre.  These vasucular tumors are showing up as increased hyperintense signal on the T1 and T2 weighted MRI scans.  These hemangiomas are located at the level of your 12th thorasic vertebrae, 3rd lumbar vertebrae  and  4th lumbar vertebrae.  

From what I understand, hemangiomas are a congenital birth defects and there is no association that I am aware of between hemangiomas and MS.  However, in some people they can cause severe pain and you should be evaluated by a neurologist because these vasular lesion can sometimes grow large in size and since your hemangiomas are located in your spine they have the potential to impinge your spinal nerve roots that exit out of the neural foramina at T12, L3 and L4, as well as impingment the spinal cord in this same region of T12, L3 or L4.  If impingment were to happen it could cause pain, possible loss of sensation and muscle weakness below the level of impingment.  However, this MRI showed that the hemangiomas were NOT compressing your spinal nerve roots or your spinal cord.  You will most likely need to get repeated MRI's in the future to check and see if these vascular lesions are growing and causing your neurological symptoms.  You really need to find a good neurologist to see if these hemangiomas are the sourse of your pain, but I suspect that you may have several health problems that may be hitting you at once.  Are you having any muscle spasms in your back?  What type of pain do you have..........sharp, dull ache, shooting pains?  Is your pain constant throughout the day?  Is your pain only present when you move or is it present at rest?  Have you been perscribed muscle relaxant drugs or antiinflammatories?

Dawn

[punjabpete]

Just out of interest what can beneign hemegioma's have to do with MS?
I was diagnosed with ms in April 2009. The previous year I had been diagnosed with an benegn Hemegioma on my T12 vertibrae. I developed MS after a urine infection. As I understand beneign tumours eleicit an immune reponse and needless to say so do urine infections.
Do you mean that the bodys response to such infections can look like a case of MS?

[punjabpete]

I remember reading an entry on google a year or so ago and I am damned if I can find it again. The background was that a person (sex unknown) was diagnosed with MS the symptoms of which abated after the removal of a cavenous hemegioma.
I have definite issues with the absorbtion of copper and copper deficiency mimics MS as to does B12 deficiency.
I think the body's normal and health response to cancer is to block copper absorbtion. I have checked with Cancer research UK who state that they don't know but it is a possability. The tumor is due to be assessed mid October so I'll see what happens.

regards

Peter Sinclair