DISCS ARE SOFT TISSUES IN BETWEEN THE VERTEBRAE, WHICH IS BONE. THE DISC ACTS AS SHOCK ABSORBERS.


*NORMAL* L2-L3: There is no significant loss in disc height. No obvious disc bulge or herniation. No evidence of central or neuroforminal stenosis.

*NORMAL* L2-L3: There is no significant loss in disc height. No obvious disc bulge or herniation. No evidence of central or neuroforaminal stenosis.


L3-L4: There is a slight --

*NOT NORMAL, BUT SLIGHT. HOW OLD ARE YOU? DEGENERATION IS AN AGING PROCESS WE ALL WILL GO THROUGH. CAN BE ACCELERATED BY HARD WORK, INJURIES, LABOR, GENETIC, SMOKING, MANY THINGS *

-- degenerative-type loss of disc signal (without loss of disc height *NO DAMAGE THERE YET *).

Minimal annular bulge (*SMALL KNOT ON A TIRE*) touches but does not significantly efface the ventral aspect of the thecal sac. (*NOT NORMAL BUT NOT TOO BAD*)

Neural foramina (*OPENINGS FOR YOUR NERVES TO PASS THROUGH YOUR SPINAL COLUMN AND OUT TO THE APPROPRIATE DERMATOMAL PATTERNS -- OR EXTREMITIES *) are patent (*MEANING OPEN/NORMAL ; MEANING, NOT NARROWED OR STENOSIS* *** "are patent" -- THAT'S A GOOD FINDING FOR YOU)

L4-L5: There is a is slight degenerative type loss of disc signal without loss of disc height. (SAME THING)

There is a minimal annular disc bulge which touches but does not significantly efface the ventral aspect of the thecal sac. (SAME THING)

Mild facet hypertropahy and thickening of the ligamentum flavum (*ANOTHER WAY TO DESCRIBE THE DEGENERATING PROCESS OF THE LIGAMENTUM FLAVUM - LIGAMENTUM FLAVUM IS A LIGAMENT IN THE SPINAL COLUM) is noted.

No significant narrowing of the spinal canal or neural foramen. (AGAIN, THAT'S A GOOD FINDING)

L5-S1: There is degenerative loss of disc height -- * (A LITTLE MORE OF THE AGING PROCESS ADVANCING HERE)

-- and signal associated with a small posterior -- (SIZE AND THE BACK SIDE OF THE DISC) -- disc bulge and probable posterior osteophytes (KNOT ON A TIRE AGING AGAIN.

This minimall effaces the ventral aspect of the thecal sac but does not create significant central stenosis. (AGAIN, THAT'S A GOOD FINDING FOR YOU)

No abvious impingement on the nerve roots. (AGAIN, THAT'S A GOOD THING)

Neural foramina are patent. (OPEN)

There is degenerative enplate changes involving inferior L5 and superior S1. (LOCATION ON THE VERTEBRAE WITH AGING CHANGES GOING ON)


C4-5: Mild posterior disc bulge without evidence of significant central or neural foraminal stenosis. (RADIOLOGIST GRADE BULGES AS "MILD" "MODERATE" OR "SEVERE."

C5-6: Brought -based -- (*BROAD-BASED MEANS A BROAD PORTION OF THAT DISC IS BULGED) -- disc bulge with mild central canal stenosis. (*CAN BE A COMPETENT PAIN PRODUCER - BULGES ARE USUALLY NOT SURGICAL UNLESS THEY'RE CAUSING INCONTIENCE OR...WELL, A LOT OF OTHER THINGS COULD INDICATE SURGERY)

No evidence of significant neural formaminal stenosis. (GOOD FINDINGS FOR YOU)

C6-7: Mild posterior disc protrusion (OLD TERM IS HERNIATION - LIKE A JELLY DOUGHNUT WITH THE JELLY COMING OUT - ON A MICROSCOPIC BASIS) -- with mild central canal stenosis. (ABOVE)

No evidence of significant neural foraminal stenosis. (GOOD FINDING FOR YOU)

C7-TI: unremarkable. (MEANS NORMAL AT THAT LEVEL)


Thoracic spine is normal.[/QUOTE]


IT MAY HELP YOU TO UNDERSTAND THE "IMPRESSION" PORTION. THAT'S MORE LIKE YOUR DIAGNOSIS.

"FINDINGS" ARE A RADIOLOGIST'S WAY OF DESCRIBING WHAT HE SEES TO YOUR REFERRING PHYSICIAN WHO WILL ULTIMATELY DIAGNOSIS AND HOPEFULLY TREAT YOU SUCCESSFULLY WITH THE HELP OF THIS REPORT.

I hope that's not too jumbled.

Sometimes you can have pain without any findings on MRI. You do have findings that are similar to mine.

It's tough to deal with back pain. It will make you miserable, and the ones around you too.