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.