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Member
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Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Paradise
Posts: 855
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Member
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Paradise
Posts: 855
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Quote:
Originally Posted by hermione
Hi... I am trying to understand my MRI results. My family doctor was not very helpful and I am wondering if I need a referral to a specialist.
My results show: disc protrusion and annular tear of the left T9-T10 neural foramina.
I'm curious to know if others have had the same diagnosis and what the prognosis is for recovery. Although I've always had a "bad back", I can blame this specific episode on shovelling snow. So... I wish I knew if these results are showing the results of an acute injury from shovelling or if the protrusion and/or tear have been years in the making.
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An annular tear is a tear of the annular ligaments or Sharpy's fibers which are the very small vertical-oriented ligaments of the disc (arranged in many circumferential rows like rings in a tree) that anchor into the vertebral endplates above and below. When annular fibers tear out of the endplates, granulation tissue forms which can be seen on an MRI.
As far as a thoracic herniation or tear, I would make certain that your finding is not a red herring and is related to your symptoms. Thoracic herniations make up only 0.5% of all disc herniations so they are exceedingly rare. With a true thoracic disc issue as you describe (BTW, the neural foramina is a tunnel for the exiting nerve root, it doesn't tear, it is a hole), I would expect you to have midline pain around the bottom of your shoulder blades or so with pain, and/or numbness and/or tingling radiating around the left ribcage. There would not likely be any noticable strength loss that you would perceive.
That said, thoracic herniations are problematic as the central canal is not much wider than the cord at that level (although the cord is tapering as it terminates at about T12). Treatment-wise, conservative approach is thoughtful; intermittent traction, anti-inflammatory medication, medrol dose pak, activity/work modification, epidural although there are unique risks for such at the thoracic levels. Surgery is BIG for that problem relative to similar issues ot the cervical or lumbar discs!
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