Hi, once again, I'm trying to get information on the outcome of my upper/middle back. I have to see Doc next wednesday so we can talk, but everytime I'm in there, I forget what I wanted to ask, and not look stupid when I do ask something. I am 56 yrs. of age, female and weigh about 176 lbs. I had a disc replacement in 95 with cage. L5... I've had 8 other back surgeries for bone spurs, nerve repair and buldging discs. Have a SCS in bottom back that takes care of all that pain. I have Arachnoiditis, that was the reason for the SCS. The CT scan is so confusing, being that I'm not in the medical field. If any one can help me understand my CT scan before I go to the Doctor, I can write down some things to ask him. I just finished 3 epidurals-Thoracic. You can understand more when I show you the results.
If you think I am a candidate for surgery, please let me know. I don't want anymore Epidurals, (he did one injection each of T6-7, 7-8, 9-10). I don't want anymore Facet Joint injections. NONE of these injections worked.
I am now, after the last epidural, getting pain in both upper thighs that go to knee, horrible shortness of breath, whereas sometimes I make a funny sound like a onesided hiccup.. the pain in my ribs is so bad that it's traveling to the front , it hurts to touch them below my arm pits.
So here is some of the details of this CT Scan
At T7-T8, there is moderate to large central mostly left-sided disk extrusion with inferior migration with moderate flattening of the spinal cord likely present. T8-T9, there is moderate central disk protrusion or perhaps extrusion
with likely mild flattening of the spinal cord. T10-T11, there is focal posterior spondylosis with likely mild to moderate sided disk protrusion and perhaps some impression on the spinal cord. T11-T12, mild posterior disk osteophyte hypertrophy with mild canal encroachment without gross spinal cord compression is suspected.
My scs leads end at T7=8. But they only control my lower half of my back. These words are so confusing. Not like a MRI. LIke "impression", spondylosis... What do these mean in Layman terms that I can understand.
I would appreciate any help I can get before I go to doctor. Thanks.
This discussion is related to
CT thoracic spine results.