Hi, I want to post my MRI in the hopes that someone could help me understand the terminology. I had an injury to my lower back in January of 2012 and have had pain in my low back and both legs since that time. I have nerve pain that shoots down to both my feet at times, hip pain, numbness and tingling, muscle twitching and cramping (not all of these at on time but it moves in between and varies in intensity). The radiating nerve pain can really be unbearable at times when sitting or walking but then goes away. Its vary scary and I'm wondering what my MRI is showing and how bad it is. I see a pain management doctor, and I'm waiting to see a orthopedic doctor. Wondering if this will just go away in time.

MRI Lumbar : Low back pain/hip pain

Findings: Conus medullaris normal in size, morphology, and signal intensity, terminating at the L1 level. Normal Vertebral body height and anatomical allighnment. Minimal L4-5 disc space narrowing. Moderate L5-S1 disc space narrowing and desiccation and Modic type II marrow changes. Tiny Schmorl's node deformities L2-3 and T12-L1. No bone marrow signal abnormality. The pedicles are short in the lower lumbar spine, contributing to a congenitally small spinal canal.

T12-L1: unremarkable

L1-L2: unremarkable

L2-L3: unremarkable

L3-L4: Minimal bulge and endplate hypertrophic change. Short pedicles. Mild ligamentum flavum thickening. No central or lateral recess stenosis. Foramina appear mildly narrowed.

L4-5: small central disc protrusion. short pedicles. Mild ligamentum flavum thickiening bilaterally. Mild central and lateral recess narrowing. Mild bilateral foraminal narrowing.

L5-S1: Diffuse mild to moderate disk osteophyte complex with central focal disc herniation that is partially calcified. there is moderate central and lateral recess stenosis, greater on the left. Mild bilateral foraminal stenosis, greater on the left.

Impression:

1. Degenerative disc disease L5-S1 Partially calcified central disc herniation. there is moderate central and lateral recess stenosis, greater on the left and mild bilateral foraminal stenosis, greater on the left.

2. L4-L5 bulge with mild protrusion centrally. There is mild central and lateral recess stenosis and bilateral foraminal stenosis.

3. L3-L4 mild bulge and short pedicles with mild bilateral foraminal narrowing. No central or lateral recess stenosis.

Thank you for reading...

Ben