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possum62 05-14-2014 07:49 AM

Lumbar Spine MRI Results
 
Hi all, this is my very first posting on this forum and hope you can help me determine what my MRI results mean. I have an appointment to see my GP on Monday however I'm trying gain some idea on just how serious my condition is.

Im 52 years of age and have been suffering from lower back, hip and legs pain for some time now with the pain becoming more severe in the past month or so. At first I thought it may have been sciatic pain but judging from this report it seems i was incorrect.

Here goes:

Information: Right lower back/radiating radicular pain to the thigh and lower legs. ? L5/S1 disc pathology or facet.

Findings: There is a transitional level which has S1 morphology with residual S1/2 disc. The lumbar spine has quite straight alignment. Disc heights are preserved. Vertebral body morphology is normal. THe conus, cauda equina and spinal canal are normal.

The discs down to and including L3/4 show normal hydration and intact periphery. The facet joints are normal.

At L4/5 the disc shows mild dehydration. There is only slight concentric laxity with no significant bulge or protrusion. There is small sub annular fissure in the left far lateral region, which does not appear of any consequence. Neural structures are all clear. Facet joint changes are minimal.

At L5/S1 the disc shows dehydration and a mild concentric bulge. The main feature here is advanced facet arthritis bilaterally. The L5 nerves exit freely and the S1 nerves are not compressed. The facet arthritis is severe and symmetric, and on both sides is associated with a couple of small ganglia at the outer joint margin greater on the right side and extruding posteromedially.

The sacrum and sacroiliac joints look normal.

Comment: Mild disk dehydration and slight concentric bulging L5/S1 facet arthritis, worse on the right side, including a number of outer lip ganglia. CT guided facet joint injection appears indicated. Both these joints are narrowed and the right side even has early bridging osteophytes.


That's it. Doesn't sound too good does it?

Does anyone have any idea of what this means and how it's going to impact upon my health and if so is there anything to correct or to lessen my pain issues?

I appreciate any feedback and thank you in advance.

Dr. Smith 05-14-2014 03:17 PM

Actually, I was thinking it doesn't sound too bad. What it all means is that your spine is aging like the rest of you. Lower back problems are the price we pay (as humans) for walking upright (not like we have a choice).

You've got some arthritis there, some bone spurs (osteophytes is the medical-ese word for bone spurs), and some beginnings of degenerative disc disease, all of which are typical for someone our age.

I couldn't/wouldn't either confirm or rule out sciatic involvement at all at this point.

Quote:

CT guided facet joint injection appears indicated.
This is a recommendation for an injection into the facet joints at L5/S1, using Computed Tomography (CT, like a CAT scan) to help the doctor guide where the needle is going.

http://www.spine-health.com/treatmen...int-injections

My guess (we're not doctors here) is that your doctor may or may not do the injections right off (they may or may not work), but will likely prescribe some physical therapy. Impact on your health depends on how those go. It's not going to shorten your life or anything, but you'll likely have to slow down a little. No more of this stuff...

About all you can do for the time being is take an OTC NSAID (ibuprofen, aspirin, naproxen, but don't combine them) or acetaminophen (Tylenol) and take it easy.

Doc

possum62 05-16-2014 02:54 AM

Thank you Dr Smith for taking the time to answer my query and for the informative links, although I'm scaring myself silly watching some of those video's :eek:
I'm seeing my GP on Monday, so will have more info regarding how severe my condition is. Will keep you updated

Dr. Smith 05-16-2014 11:48 AM

I don't know which specific videos you mean, or if they'll be relevant to your particular situation, but at any rate, try to think of some of this in terms of sticker shock—give yourself some time to get used to the idea. As I said, they may try physical therapy first (there are studies indicating that longterm results of PT are as good as surgery for some conditions. I've posted them in other threads). Maybe take your research further; I grabbed a link I thought would be informative, but there's a lot more out there with different perspectives and presentations.

Keep in mind also that if it freaks you out too much, you always have the right to refuse/postpone treatment, ask for alternatives, more conservative procedures, second/third/etc. opinions...

There are nearly always options.

Doc

possum62 05-16-2014 06:35 PM

Noooo, I apologise Dr Smith. I was being a little tongue in cheek when i referred to scaring myself silly watching the videos. The only one which had me feeling a little squeamish was the one of getting the facet bone joint injected (im not particularly fond of injections) and that wasn't frightening at all.

I'm just overreacting in regards to my diagnosis and am imagining all of the worse scenarios possible. If anything I'm really finding the links and information you've posted extremely informative and insightful into understanding back pain.

In any case I'll be in more of a position to know what my diagnosis is on Monday after I've seen my GP. Until then i'll stop worrying myself and concentrate on enjoying the weekend!

Cheers and once again many thanks to you : )

possum62 05-21-2014 08:00 PM

Hi all, just writing to keep you updated as to how i went at my doctors appointment on Monday.

My doctor referred me to have a CT guided facet joint injection (as Dr Smith so rightly predicted). I was admitted into hospital yesterday morning (Wednesday) and under sedation I had the procedure performed. The doctor administered two two Lumbar Facet Joint injections in both the left and the right hand side of my lower back. At least I've got that part taken care of and its over and done with, unless i need additional injections.

Here comes the waiting as patiently as I can part to see if the injections take effect. I'll probably know if the injections were successful in taking an edge off my pain in approximately a weeks time. Keep your fingers, toes, eyes, legs and anything else that is remotely crossabled crossed for me lol :winky:

In the meantime should i be resting up and doing as little as possible to give the injections a good chance of kicking in, or would resting not make any difference to the outcome? Mind you that's going to be an impossible dream going nothing, not to mention boring as all heck with a husband and a household to run.

Hope everyone is doing well today and please know that i am sparing a thought for you all. It's not until you experience pain first hand that you realize just how debilitating this condition can be and I applaude you all for the strength and courage you all have.

Thank you for allowing me to post in your group. It helps being around people who understand and support each other.... :grouphug:

Dr. Smith 05-22-2014 01:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by possum62 (Post 1070872)
In the meantime should i be resting up and doing as little as possible to give the injections a good chance of kicking in, or would resting not make any difference to the outcome? Mind you that's going to be an impossible dream going nothing, not to mention boring as all heck with a husband and a household to run.

I don't know if it makes a difference as far as the injections are concerned, but until your doctors give you the nod, I think it'd be prudent to take it easy anyway, at least until you know how your back/body is going to respond to all of this.

Husband & household will live.

Doc

fedup 09-02-2014 04:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by possum62 (Post 1069309)
Hi all, this is my very first posting on this forum and hope you can help me determine what my MRI results mean. I have an appointment to see my GP on Monday however I'm trying gain some idea on just how serious my condition is.

Im 52 years of age and have been suffering from lower back, hip and legs pain for some time now with the pain becoming more severe in the past month or so. At first I thought it may have been sciatic pain but judging from this report it seems i was incorrect.

Here goes:

Information: Right lower back/radiating radicular pain to the thigh and lower legs. ? L5/S1 disc pathology or facet.

Findings: There is a transitional level which has S1 morphology with residual S1/2 disc. The lumbar spine has quite straight alignment. Disc heights are preserved. Vertebral body morphology is normal. THe conus, cauda equina and spinal canal are normal.

The discs down to and including L3/4 show normal hydration and intact periphery. The facet joints are normal.

At L4/5 the disc shows mild dehydration. There is only slight concentric laxity with no significant bulge or protrusion. There is small sub annular fissure in the left far lateral region, which does not appear of any consequence. Neural structures are all clear. Facet joint changes are minimal.

At L5/S1 the disc shows dehydration and a mild concentric bulge. The main feature here is advanced facet arthritis bilaterally. The L5 nerves exit freely and the S1 nerves are not compressed. The facet arthritis is severe and symmetric, and on both sides is associated with a couple of small ganglia at the outer joint margin greater on the right side and extruding posteromedially.

The sacrum and sacroiliac joints look normal.

Comment: Mild disk dehydration and slight concentric bulging L5/S1 facet arthritis, worse on the right side, including a number of outer lip ganglia. CT guided facet joint injection appears indicated. Both these joints are narrowed and the right side even has early bridging osteophytes.


That's it. Doesn't sound too good does it?

Does anyone have any idea of what this means and how it's going to impact upon my health and if so is there anything to correct or to lessen my pain issues?

I appreciate any feedback and thank you in advance.

Hey possum62, I am the same age with the same problems. herniated disc, ie bulge, will cause siatica, pain down the legs all the way to the feet. all is caused by compressed nerves. I have facet joint arthritis, spinal stenosis, herniated discs, compressed discs, most of that is on your mri, I have had no luck as far as treatment, ie shots etc. 30 years in the flooring business did this to me, I am waiting for a SSD hearing.

KimberlyFaith 12-22-2020 08:47 PM

Mri results into Layman's terms PLEASE
 
I need help translating my MRIs as well. I've had some minor back pain for a while but after being injured in an auto accident a month ago, it's been pretty rough. My thoracic is normal, but my cervical and lumbar finding are what I need someone to put into Layman's
terms for me PLEASE!

Cervical conclusions:
1. C5-6 mild to moderate right foramen stenosis due to facet and unicinate hypertrophy.
2. C6-7 minor spondylotic disc displacement. Mild to moderate right foramen stenosis due to facet and unicinate hypertrophy.
3. C7-T1 mild right foramen stenosis due to facet and unicinate hypertrophy.

LUMBAR:

1. Minor spondylosis. L3-4 mild diffuse spondylotic disc displacement and facet hypertrophy with nominal abutment of exiting right L3 nerve root.

CAN SOMEONE PLEASE TRANSLATE WHAT THIS MEANS?!?!

Lara 12-22-2020 10:28 PM

Hi KimberlyFaith,
Welcome to NeuroTalk.

Do you see your doctor soon? Your doctor will be able to explain when you see them.

There are sites explaining terminolgy that you can check relating to MRI of the Spine.

One example -
What Do the Words on My MRI Mean? | AXIS Brain & Back Institute
What do the words on my MRI mean.

p.s. Just found the Sticky up at the top of the forum here.
Medical Dictionary & MRI/CT Terminology


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