and from my limited understanding of medical jargon it shows degenerative changes (which are long term) as well as the long standing spondylolisthesis. (grade 2 anterolisthesis of L5 onto S1 of approximately 9 mm.) It appears that L5-S1 besides a central bulge (herniation) also has thecal sac compression and severe narrowing within the passages that house spinal nerve roots. What's new is Grade 1 retrolisthesis of L1 on L2 measuring approximately 3 mm and the addition of some osteoarthritis which isn't new. The really good news is no horrible disease such as cancer.

Here it is:

L1 is labeled as the first nonrib-bearing vertebral body. There is lumbarization of S1.

The vertebral bodies are preserved in height and demonstrate normal marrow signal.

Multilevel disc space narrowing most severe at L1-L2, L3-L4 and L5-S1.

Grade 1 retrolisthesis of L1 on L2 measuring approximately 3 mm. There is grade 2 anterolisthesis of L5 onto S1 of approximately 9 mm. Evaluation for pars defects is limited on MRI.

The paraspinal soft tissues appear within normal limits. The dorsal spinous processes are unremarkable.

Detailed description of the levels of the lumbar spine are as follows:

L1-L2: Central bulge and facet hypertrophy. There is mild sac compression. There is mild narrowing the bilateral neural foramina
L2-L5: No canal stenosis or narrowing of the neural foramina
L5-S1: Central bulge with moderate sac compression. There is severe narrowing of the bilateral neuroforamina.

Impression:
1. Multilevel degenerative changes most pronounced at L1-L2 and L5-S1 where there is spondylolisthesis and resultant sac compression and narrowing the neural foramina as detailed above.

MY QUESTION: 1) Did I miss or misunderstand anything on this MRI?
2) My burning is not confined to feet and legs. I also have it in my hands, left arm where I still have some frozen shoulder and lips. In my understanding lumbar does not effect hands and lips. That would be cervical. 3)When I had the lidocaine part of the nerve block ALL my burning was gone. Is that of any significance?

I know there are people on NT that are much better at reading these tests. Please help. My doctors appointment is not for another month and I am struggling to understand.

Thank you. carol

Hi Carol,

I am not one of the people on NT with enough skill to accurately interpret your MRI results.

I am glad you are relieved re: no serious disease such as cancer, etc.

I am sorry you have such a long wait for a doctor's appointment to explain this report. I am in a similar situation with test results. I have no idea as to why doctors do not schedule a quick appointment to at least explain the MRI results.

I hope you will come to understand much more about your report, soon.

Love All Around,

Thank you for your response! It means a lot.

My neurosurgeon at first must have thought I was nuts, my pain was more pronounced in my right leg, while the MRI showed more pain should be occurring in my left leg. The EMG showed PN and nerve pain from my back. It was the myelogram that gave the surgeon the answer why why right leg had more pain. I had L3-4-5 fused last summer.

He told me a couple interesting things:
1. My MRI was really like most men my age (60), many people with worse looking MRI's don't have pain. It all depends what nerves a compressed, pinched etc
2. Most people he does the procedure on the pain in their feet is gone in 12 months. Going in I knew that the chances of that being my case were slim, due to how my PN occurred (see signature line). The good news for me is my back pain is gone and the PN lives on.

Hopefully when your doctor reviews your results he can find something that can provides you relief.

Thank you Mike. I'm glad your pain is gone and I hope your PN is manageable. My symptoms like many others are not completely straight forward which makes it difficult as I'm sure you understand. It helps me to hear about surgery benefits as I am very nervous about this