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Neck and Back pain is surgery an option??
Can anyone break my MRI of Cervical and Lumbar down in English form? I am so ready to ask the doctor about surgery options.
CERVICAL MRI
FINDINGS: There is straightening of the normally observed cervical lordosis and diffuse cervical disc dehydration dhange. The posterior fossa is clear. Discogenic changes in the midcervical spine are most pronounced, characterized by endplate ridging, early disc height loss, and formation of dorsal disc osteophytes.
C2-C3: There is minimal posterior extension of disc annulus. Joints are intact. There is no central or foraminal narrowing.
C3-C4: Minimal dorsal disc narrowing. There is very slight ridging of the right facet joint. No stenosis.
C4-C5: 2 mm dorsal disc osteophyte complex, minimal uncinate ridging. No stenosis.
C5-C6: 5 mm dorsal disc osteophyte complex effaces the anterior epidural space, contacting and slightly flattening the ventral cord surface. Uncinate spur on the left causes a moderately sever narrowing of the foraminal outlet.
C6-C7: 5 mm broad disc osteophyte complex in continuity with spurred uncinate joint margins causes a moderate narrowing of the central canal and moderate to moderately severe left and mild to moderate right neural foraminal narrowing.
C7-T1: Tiny 1 mm left paracentral protrusion does not have mass effecton the cord. the neural foramina are widely patent.
T1-T2: Minor facet joint ridging but no stenosis.
T2-T3: More significant facet spur at this level is associated with moderate to moderately severe right and moderate left neural foraminal narrowing.
IMPRESSION:
1. Moderate to moderately severe central and foraminal narrowing at C5-C6 and C6-C7 as above.
2. There is significant foraminal stenosis at T2-T3 from facet spur formation. There is no cord edema and no bone stress response. Noted straightening of the normally observed cervical lordosis may alter spinal biomechanics and can be associated with muscle spasm.
I have been in pain since 2012, I have tried the epidural injection but no relief. If any can break these findings down for me I would really appreciate it. Thank you.
MRI of Lumbar
Conus and cauda Edina have a normal appearance. The fluid sensitive sequence shows edema across the left facet joint at L5-S1. Intervertebral discs are normal in signal and height at every level. Numbering assumes five non rib-bearing lumbar vertebrae.
T10-11 through L1-L2: Unremarkable.
L2-L3: A small foraminal protrusion is depicted both right and left as on the prior study. In association with mild facet capsular thickening and ridging, this causes mild foraminal canal narrowing. Sagittal image 10 series 3 shows left foraminal annular fissure.
L3-L4: Mild facet capsular thickening and very small foraminal protrusions with fissures bilaterally associated with moderate foraminal narrowing. Central canal is clear.
L4-L5: Mild endplate bony ridging, very subtle posterior extension of disc annulus, modest hypertrophy of facets and very slight narrowing of the neural foraminal outlets.
L5-S1: On the left, the pars interarticularis appears irregular, thin, some scelorisis but also edema-like signal change. There is a tiny synovial cyst within capsular tissue behind the left neural foraminal outlet, sagittal image 11 series 6. There is a very minor degeneration/ridging of the right facet joint. disc margin is clear. there is only minimal narrowing of the neural foraminal outlets. Degenerative-type cyst if seen along the inferior facet surface on the left on axial image 29 series 7.
[B]IMPRESSIONS[/B]:
1. left-sided pars irregularity and facet arthropathy/inflammation L5-S1 has progressed from the prior inflammation is more apparent on the current study which includes a STIR sequence. There is only a minor narrowing of subjacent neural foraminal outlet and no evidence for nerve root impingement at L5-S1.
2. At L2-3 and L3-4 a small foraminal protrusions persist and are stable. There is associated early facet DJD and mild to moderate neural foraminal narrowing at these two levels.
CERVICAL MRI
FINDINGS: There is straightening of the normally observed cervical lordosis and diffuse cervical disc dehydration dhange. The posterior fossa is clear. Discogenic changes in the midcervical spine are most pronounced, characterized by endplate ridging, early disc height loss, and formation of dorsal disc osteophytes.
C2-C3: There is minimal posterior extension of disc annulus. Joints are intact. There is no central or foraminal narrowing.
C3-C4: Minimal dorsal disc narrowing. There is very slight ridging of the right facet joint. No stenosis.
C4-C5: 2 mm dorsal disc osteophyte complex, minimal uncinate ridging. No stenosis.
C5-C6: 5 mm dorsal disc osteophyte complex effaces the anterior epidural space, contacting and slightly flattening the ventral cord surface. Uncinate spur on the left causes a moderately sever narrowing of the foraminal outlet.
C6-C7: 5 mm broad disc osteophyte complex in continuity with spurred uncinate joint margins causes a moderate narrowing of the central canal and moderate to moderately severe left and mild to moderate right neural foraminal narrowing.
C7-T1: Tiny 1 mm left paracentral protrusion does not have mass effecton the cord. the neural foramina are widely patent.
T1-T2: Minor facet joint ridging but no stenosis.
T2-T3: More significant facet spur at this level is associated with moderate to moderately severe right and moderate left neural foraminal narrowing.
IMPRESSION:
1. Moderate to moderately severe central and foraminal narrowing at C5-C6 and C6-C7 as above.
2. There is significant foraminal stenosis at T2-T3 from facet spur formation. There is no cord edema and no bone stress response. Noted straightening of the normally observed cervical lordosis may alter spinal biomechanics and can be associated with muscle spasm.
I have been in pain since 2012, I have tried the epidural injection but no relief. If any can break these findings down for me I would really appreciate it. Thank you.
MRI of Lumbar
Conus and cauda Edina have a normal appearance. The fluid sensitive sequence shows edema across the left facet joint at L5-S1. Intervertebral discs are normal in signal and height at every level. Numbering assumes five non rib-bearing lumbar vertebrae.
T10-11 through L1-L2: Unremarkable.
L2-L3: A small foraminal protrusion is depicted both right and left as on the prior study. In association with mild facet capsular thickening and ridging, this causes mild foraminal canal narrowing. Sagittal image 10 series 3 shows left foraminal annular fissure.
L3-L4: Mild facet capsular thickening and very small foraminal protrusions with fissures bilaterally associated with moderate foraminal narrowing. Central canal is clear.
L4-L5: Mild endplate bony ridging, very subtle posterior extension of disc annulus, modest hypertrophy of facets and very slight narrowing of the neural foraminal outlets.
L5-S1: On the left, the pars interarticularis appears irregular, thin, some scelorisis but also edema-like signal change. There is a tiny synovial cyst within capsular tissue behind the left neural foraminal outlet, sagittal image 11 series 6. There is a very minor degeneration/ridging of the right facet joint. disc margin is clear. there is only minimal narrowing of the neural foraminal outlets. Degenerative-type cyst if seen along the inferior facet surface on the left on axial image 29 series 7.
[B]IMPRESSIONS[/B]:
1. left-sided pars irregularity and facet arthropathy/inflammation L5-S1 has progressed from the prior inflammation is more apparent on the current study which includes a STIR sequence. There is only a minor narrowing of subjacent neural foraminal outlet and no evidence for nerve root impingement at L5-S1.
2. At L2-3 and L3-4 a small foraminal protrusions persist and are stable. There is associated early facet DJD and mild to moderate neural foraminal narrowing at these two levels.
I realize your frustration, but be very wary of a surgical solution that may leave you with more pain and disability than you currently feel.
Make sure you've exhausted all treatment options, including medical options, before succumbing to the knife.
Make sure you've exhausted all treatment options, including medical options, before succumbing to the knife.
Thank you for your reply.., but yes I am in pain everyday I am turning my neck/body and twisting. I have had epidural injections with little relief in my lower back but no relief in my neck, I wake up everyday with headaches and I am turning my whole body just to look around, there are always spasms when I sit or if I stand too long..,I just need my quality of life back, I feel as though I am missing out on my grandson's life as he is always wanting me to play with him outside, run and play freeze tag, kick ball etc.. he is only 3 and I have missed so much already, I can't pick him up because of pain... and to top that off I have carpel tunnel syndrome in both arms.. UGH!
You have a rather complex MRI with osteophytic growths pushing against the spinal cord in your neck, and facet spondylosis in the lumbar spine. I imagine that you have bad neck pain perhaps with lower back pain, perhaps not.
The cervical spine may need surgical intervention if the pressure on your spinal cord becomes too severe in the neck -- right now it is classified as moderate.
I have a similar spine -- with stenosis in the neck and lower back. FOr many years I was treated for neck pain. I never had surgery, even though I too have moderate spinal stenosis in the neck and severe foraminal stenosis.
After radio frequency ablation of the facet nerves in the cervical spine resolved a lot of my neck pain, I began to feel the degenerative changes in my lower back, and today, my largest pain issue is in the lower back.
My advice is to find a good interventional pain physician, follow his / her advice, and see what happens as your treatment progresses. Differ surgery until the very last resort -- when they tell you that your spine is unstable or you will likely face paralysis if you don't act. Surgery in our case does not resolve pain, but in many cases exacerbates pain.
Best wishes.
The cervical spine may need surgical intervention if the pressure on your spinal cord becomes too severe in the neck -- right now it is classified as moderate.
I have a similar spine -- with stenosis in the neck and lower back. FOr many years I was treated for neck pain. I never had surgery, even though I too have moderate spinal stenosis in the neck and severe foraminal stenosis.
After radio frequency ablation of the facet nerves in the cervical spine resolved a lot of my neck pain, I began to feel the degenerative changes in my lower back, and today, my largest pain issue is in the lower back.
My advice is to find a good interventional pain physician, follow his / her advice, and see what happens as your treatment progresses. Differ surgery until the very last resort -- when they tell you that your spine is unstable or you will likely face paralysis if you don't act. Surgery in our case does not resolve pain, but in many cases exacerbates pain.
Best wishes.
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