newbie here with some?'s & Mri showing the wrong diagnosis?
 

Hi..I use to be active here many many years ago....here's some history...cervical fusions from c4-c7 have hardware at c6-c7

NOW dec 15 I was in a car accident we were broadsided on the passenger side (my side) I dislocated my right shoulder and hit my head hard enough to make my glasses fly to the other side of the car...

had an mri done last week and I could really use some help in interpretation:

c2-c3: annular tearing and mild spondylosis but no focal herniation or significant neural encroachment

down to c6-c7 seems to be ok with the fusions

c6-c7 mild residual bilateral neural foraminal narrrowing associated with endplate spurring. the central AP the sac diameter measures 9mm

this is NEW:
c7-t1 moderate broad based bulge. there is moderate right neural foraminal narrowing on sagittal images. axial images suggest an 11 mm wide right foraminal protrusion but image quality is limited. the central AP thecal sac diamater measures 7mm

I also have 2 tears in my shoulder that they want to do surgery on to repair...

I am trying to sort out with my neck what could be attributed to this car accident????....they are suggesting a ct myelography....

this is the *Impression*
1) prior fusion c4-c7. question residual spondylosis at c6-c7
2) moderate central canal stenosis at c7-t1 with a right foraminal herniation
3) moderately limited study despite sedation consider by myelography

they do sedate me because I'm claustrophobic (sp)...

thank you so much....

WOW 85 views and nothing....was really hoping someone would at least try to help me...debi

hello debi
you only posted your first post after 2pm this afternoon and many people do not come online everyday.
Also, please note that the views are from everyone on the internet, including the search bots from Google etc...not just of registered members here

I am sure if anyone is able to comment on your post, they will be along soon, but do understand that it can sometimes take a while till various members are back online

wishing you all the best

thank you...I guess I'm just anxious at this point...

I'm sure someone will be along when they are able ...again thanks

The question is unclear, are you asking could this be related to your car accident?


Personally, i would have to be close to death to recieve a myelogram, injecting something into your spinal cord has very serious risks. The knowledge they gain would have to out weigh permanent paralysis.

I really don't understand what they are saying is going on and how serious is it?.....I'm pretty sure the c7=t1 is from the accident....I've had very little problems prior to that..i am under a pain management clinic and on morphine and norco....

sooo I guess yes I'm wondering if it is caused by the accident?...I know the shoulder is for sure....

I had mylograms years and years ago and I don't reproduce the spinal fluid like I should so had to be in the hospital for a couple of days lying flat...my old neuro told me last time i'm to never have another one....

I had a discogram also years ago (10 years) and it detailed alot of things going on and that's when I went and had the hardware...

I know I have a constant headacche now and have had 2 of the cervical headaches with the throwing up, etc.....had not had one for quite awhile..

guess I need to know in layman's terms what is going on, how bad, and is it or could it be accident related?

thanks anyone....

Debi - me responding to your questions would be like a mechanic ixing you laptop - not much use:( sorry.

definitely could be related
 

Even mild trauma can cause a disk to herniate---I don't even know what caused mine to pop out and wedge b/n my spinal cord and vertebra

With your other vertebra fused the T1 could have gotten the full force of the blow

From the MR report you likely have a new problem there--motion can render an MR useless--while CT myeography is painful, there are no closed spaces involved and you definitely need to find out if there is compression there

are you having sx?

THANK YOU...I was beginning to feel alittle lonesome...lol

I'm going to my doctor tomorrow about shoulder surgery..I had dislocated my shoulder and have 2 tears in it ... so we will be talking about my neck also....

I know that I am having ALOT more pain in my left shoulder and that is from my neck...(dislocated right).....

which would be more productive to get a discogram or a mylogram?...I do know with the mylogram I will end up staying in the hospital for a day or so ....the last discogram had no side effects for me....but the doctor at the time who did it told me that NO-ONE should have to live with a neck like mine...

again thanks for responding...I guess I really just need to talk...it gets hard..my husband has lived with it with me for 34 years andnow I have 2 foster grandchildren I'm raising but they I don't think really thinks grandma could be hurt..kwim..

OH, had my pt read the report...they state that I have had my hardware REMOVED....uhh, no I haven't.????.....

Have the films re-read
 

there may have been a mix up in pt names---it should be pretty obvious if there is or is not hardware in place

On the discogram/myelogram ? the critical ? is to find out if you have cord compression--for that the myelogram is more helpful

take care

when I go to the doctor tomorrow I am of course going to bring up the fact that the hardware should still be there....I had not thought about a mixup of names.....this mri place had to re-schedule 3 times because of the anesthologist (yes sp!!!)....

Ok, so a mylogram would be better for my purpose than a discogram...thanks...I wouldn't of know that!

Mri showing the wrong diagnosis?
 

I wrote here a couple of months ago..this is pertaining to having a dislocated shoulder in a car accident...the mri showed 2 tears and other things to go with my neck...

they went in to repair the tears on 4/2 and could NOT find anything to repair....this is also the mri that said my hardware in my neck had been removed when it hadn't been.....

how often is an mri wrong?....I'm not sure what to do now because they are recommending a mylogram for my neck....

I know at least 4 or 5 people looked at the actual films of the mri....and saw the tears...

Could they have mixed up MRI's since it was so wrong??
Missing hardware when it is still there is quite a difference I would think...:confused:

that is what we thought at first but I was the ONLY one getting an mri that day....they have an anthesologist (sp) there to put me under because I am very claustophobic and cannot not hold still long enough with my neck and spine damage.....so it would be unlikely they got the wrong one....also how many people would have hardware in their neck and fusions right where I have them?

my doctor doublechecked on the hardware and said that it is still there (duh..)....

I really can't afford another mri but certainly don't want to use this one as a basis for any damage..kwim?

Since they didn't find any tears to fix, what is the other concern about more testing?

I assume you are still having pain or symptoms of some sort?

here is my original thread asking about my mri re: my neck....I do still have pains in my shoulder and have been but now since there isn't anything to repair not sure what is going on...

I'm concerned now about what they are stating about my neck...do I go ahead and have mylogram/discogram done based on THIS mri?....

It's here: http://neurotalk.psychcentral.com/thread165793.html

Do you have copies of the imaging & reports? I think that would be advisable.

I'm skeptical about there not being a mixup in the original MRI as well. I doubt they are wrong as often as they are mixed up. Seeing tears where there were none AND no hardware where there was some is just too much (IMO) for coincidence. Mixups happen in the medical arena at rates far higher than acceptable in other industries.
Google: rate of mistakes in medicine
Google: medical error cover-ups

I think a second MRI needs to be done, but not at your expense (since the MRI in question probably wasn't yours). I think multiple opinions are in order, and if one of those were a malpractice atty., I wouldn't object. If there is no case there, an atty would not want to get involved. It would come down to whether or not you were harmed by the error.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medical...ts_of_the_case

Just my personal opinion; feel free to ignore in whole or in part.

Doc

I went ahead and the 2 threads since the info from 1st thread might help with the MRI and other questions.

When merged they fall into the posting date/time order, so the earlier thread & info is now at the beginning of this thread.

Was there any sort of whiplash type injury from the accident?

Any pain or symptoms in hands or arms or neck?

Soft tissue injuries don't show up on MRIs or many imaging tests at all.
A very advanced PT should be able to assess if it may be soft tissue vs spine problems.

If you have a copy of the MRI on disk or films you could take them somewhere else to be evaluated independently.
Even an experienced/expert chiro could do an assessment w/ no adjusting.

I think you should see a lawyer. Errors like this should be recompensated by the doctor/radiologist who made the error.

There is usually a short time for filing these claims ...so sooner the better. Average statute of limitations is 2 yrs.

Maybe this part was a plain old typo?? the word not left out??
[they state that I have (not) had my hardware REMOVED]

Certainly is very confusing & upsetting to be seeing these mistakes by "professionals"

I hope there was a correction notation in your records & on the MRI report that states Hardware IS still there per the doctor & signature.

It would be good to know if the radiologist /tech themselves typed up report or an assistant of some sort.
This really should be corrected one way or another.

Was it a Typo or poor MRI imaging??
Did the hardware show in the MRI images & I assume it would, but maybe not?

[my doctor doublechecked on the hardware and said that it is still there]

did he check the images to verify, or physically checked you, or checked during the surgery for the tear that was not there?:confused:

I really would be curious to know how these mistakes came about...
You went thru an unnecessary surgery?? and are they planning to bill you for this?
Something is not right about that.

i'm having trouble with my internet....wanted to thank all of you...am going to try to get the actual films next week, I have the written report....will write more later when I can stay online