is surgery necessary or other threatment an option?

[paparay]

My MRI of the Lumbar Spine revealed:  In the sagittal plane alignment is normal.  Marrow signal in the bertebral bodies is normal.  there is disc space narrowing present at L3-4, L4-5, and L5-S.  Distal thoracic spinal cord has a normal appearance.  Mild disc bulging is presnet at L1-2 with no foraminal compromise.  At L2-3 there is disc bulging.  There is evidence of very small central disc prottrusion and there is a small left lateral disc protrusion.  Foraminal and spinal canal compromised are considered mild.  There is deviation of the nerve root laterally on the left side secondary to the disc protrusion.  At L3-4 there is disc bulging with only mild foraminal compromise.  At L4-5 disc protrusion is present in the right paracentral region with extrusion of disc material superiorly along the right posterior border of L4.  Foraminal compromise is mild on the left and moderate on the right.

At L5-S1 disc bulging and osteophyte formation is present.  Foraminal compromise is severe bilaterally.

Impression:  Extensive and degenerative changes with multilevel disc protrusions.  Extruded disc fragment is seen at L4-5.  Areas of spinal canal and foraminal compromise are described at each level.    


This discussion is related to osteophyte formation.