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How serious is my MRI reading
by stoshab, Jun 08, 2007 12:00AM
Hello I was wondering if someone can help me understand the severity of my spinal MRI's. I had an MRI of both my lumbar and thoratic spine. I have lower and mid back pain. I have pain in both legs. Water retention, and radiating pain to my left side. Feeling like I'm being "hooked". It hurts to take a deep breath. Does this report explain all of that? How many ruptured disc do I have? Is this very serious? Here is what the report read:
There is normal verebral body height seen throughout the lumbar spine. There is normal alignment, with no evidence of subluxation. There is loss of intervertebral disc T2 signal identified at L4-L5 and L5-S1. There is no loss of intervertebral disc height at L4-L5. Abnormal signal is identified along the superior endplate of L5, consistent with Schmorl's node.
At the T12-L1 level there is a central disc protusion which measures 6mm in lateral dimension, 4 mm in AP dimension and 6 mm in craniocaudal dimension. There is no significant canal or neuroforaminal stenosis from this lesion.
At the L1-L2, L2-L3 and L3-L4 levels, there is no significant disc protrusion, canal stenosis or neuroforaminal encroachment.
At the L4-L5 level, there is a diffuse disc bulge with a central disc extrusion. This measures 17mm in lateral dimension, 16 mm in craniocaudal dimension and 9 mm in AP dimension. This causes severe canal stenosis, with the canal measuring 6 mm. There is mild right neuroforaminal stenosis also evident.
At the L5-S1 level, there is no significant canal stenosis, neuroforaminal encroachment from a mild diffuse disc bulge.
There is a normal vertebral body height and alignment seen throughout the thoracic spine. there is no abnormal signal identified within the cord. No abnormal signal is identified within the bone marrow. No significant loss of T2 signal is identified within the intraverebral disc space.
There is redemonstration of a diffuse disc bulge identified at T7-T8. This causes borderline canal stenosis, with the canal measuring approximately 11 mm, This is stable compared to the prior examination. There is mild, diffuse disc bulge at T6-T7, with no significant canal stenosis. Mild disc bulge is identified at T11-T12 and T12-L1.
Impressions:
Stable appearance to the diffuse is disc bulge identified at T7-T8, with a borderline canal stenosis, with the canal measuring 11 mm.
Minimal diffuse disc bulges are identified at T6-T7 and T10-T11. there is no canal stenosis associated with these lesions.
Disc protrusion identifed at T12-L1 without significant canal stenosis.
Large disc extrusion identified at L4-L5, causing severe canal stenosis.
There is normal verebral body height seen throughout the lumbar spine. There is normal alignment, with no evidence of subluxation. There is loss of intervertebral disc T2 signal identified at L4-L5 and L5-S1. There is no loss of intervertebral disc height at L4-L5. Abnormal signal is identified along the superior endplate of L5, consistent with Schmorl's node.
At the T12-L1 level there is a central disc protusion which measures 6mm in lateral dimension, 4 mm in AP dimension and 6 mm in craniocaudal dimension. There is no significant canal or neuroforaminal stenosis from this lesion.
At the L1-L2, L2-L3 and L3-L4 levels, there is no significant disc protrusion, canal stenosis or neuroforaminal encroachment.
At the L4-L5 level, there is a diffuse disc bulge with a central disc extrusion. This measures 17mm in lateral dimension, 16 mm in craniocaudal dimension and 9 mm in AP dimension. This causes severe canal stenosis, with the canal measuring 6 mm. There is mild right neuroforaminal stenosis also evident.
At the L5-S1 level, there is no significant canal stenosis, neuroforaminal encroachment from a mild diffuse disc bulge.
There is a normal vertebral body height and alignment seen throughout the thoracic spine. there is no abnormal signal identified within the cord. No abnormal signal is identified within the bone marrow. No significant loss of T2 signal is identified within the intraverebral disc space.
There is redemonstration of a diffuse disc bulge identified at T7-T8. This causes borderline canal stenosis, with the canal measuring approximately 11 mm, This is stable compared to the prior examination. There is mild, diffuse disc bulge at T6-T7, with no significant canal stenosis. Mild disc bulge is identified at T11-T12 and T12-L1.
Impressions:
Stable appearance to the diffuse is disc bulge identified at T7-T8, with a borderline canal stenosis, with the canal measuring 11 mm.
Minimal diffuse disc bulges are identified at T6-T7 and T10-T11. there is no canal stenosis associated with these lesions.
Disc protrusion identifed at T12-L1 without significant canal stenosis.
Large disc extrusion identified at L4-L5, causing severe canal stenosis.
There are several slightly bulging discs, which likely are not causing symptoms.
In the thoracic spine you have an old bulge, not described as an herniation, which has not enlarged since the last film. This is at T7 & T8. The spinal canal (the space within which the spinal cord floats) is slightly compressed. No mention is made of whether the nerve "windows" are also narrowed. This MAY be what is causing the pain when you breath deeply. That could also be caused by local muscle spasm.
I hope this helps. There are no back surgeons or neurlologist on this forum who can explain more about the implications of the MRI. Also, that information can only be made knowing what your symptoms are and what your exam shows. Good luck Quix
I would be worried about the severe stenosis in the lumbar region. I can imagine that the only way to go from here without intervention is downward with further pain, and loss of function. The problem is that surgery may or may not relieve the problems you already have. Try to get the best surgeon you can find. Sometimes you can ask a nurse who works on the back or neurosurg service in a hospital to tell you (on the "down low") who she would go to.
No, I saw no mention of a tumor. It is faulty to "assume" that means there wasn't one. Maybe it was on the list of things to report and was inadvertently skipped over. The neurosurgeon will look at the images himself/herself(rarely:( )
and you should bring it up. If the surgeon only refers to the report and doesn't care to see the images - look for another surgeon. I feel the same way with neurologist that don't read their own films.
Good luck, Quix
Degenerative disc disease is noted at the L3-L4,L4-L5and L-5 -S1 levels with some narrowing of the disc space height and loss of hydration on the more heavily T2 wieghted images. At L3 -L4there is a broad based central and right para central disc protusion with and annular tear along the
posterior margin of the disc with minimal ventral effacement of the thecal sac. at L4- L5 diffused bulging of the disc as well as a more focal central HNP are present resulting in slight distotion of the thecal sac.At the L5-S1level there is broad based central and right paracentral HNP resulting in some distortion of the thecal sac and mild right sided neuroforaminal encroachment. Help is this causing the pain numbness not feeling my legs tingling in fingers and can it be helped Thanks so much ahead of time. any kind of answer would be appreciated.