[sdchic1]

Hi I had an emergency laminectomy June 2011 and now I am having more issues. I believe my Dr forgets who I am in between visits and tells me something different every time. This time he said he could not figure out why I am having so much pain over a small bulge. Can you please help me interpret my last MRI (after my laminectomy) that was done in Aug 2012. I believe this is more than a small bulge and he has maybe mixed me up with another patient? Am I being a wimp or could these thing be causing my back pain? He has scheduled me a nerve test for feb 1. Also do you know what high intensity zone means? Thank you so much in advance for any insight.


Tll-Tl2,T12-LI andLl-L2 Level: No signihcant disc bulge is seen. The spinal canal and nerve root
foramen appear widely patent.
L2-L3 Level:5 mm posterior disc protrusion with a high-intensity zone. This does not narrow the spinal
canal or nerve root foramen.
L3-L4 Level: 3 mm posterior disc protrusion with a high-intensity zone. This does not narrow the spinal
canal or nerye root foramen.
L4-L5 Level: Postsurgical changes consisting of a right L4 laminectomy. There is enhancing scar tissue at
the laminectomy site and around the right L5 nerve root in the right lateral recess. There is a 4 mm right
paracentral enhancing disc extrusion which contacts the right L5 nerve root in the right lateral and displaces
it towards the facet joint. There is no signihcant stenosis of the spinal canal. There is mild narrowing of the
nerve root foramen.
L5-Sl Level: No significant disc bulge is seen. The spinal canal and nerve root foramen appear widely
patent.
There is no paraspinous mass or intradural mass. The conus medullaris ends at the level of T12-L1 and appears unremarkable.

Impression:
I . Postsurgical changes at the L4-L5 level consisting of a right L4 laminectomy. There appears to be a
residual recurrent right paracentral disc extrusion which results in mild to moderate stenosis of the right
lateral recess, displaiing the right L5 nerve root against the facet joint. The right L5 nerve root may be
compromised to some degree and clinical correlation regarding right L5 radiculopathy is recommended.
2. Posterior disc protrusions at the L2-L3 andl3-L4 levels without significant spinal stenosis.

Sorry for any mispelling/typos adobe reader did not pull all of the information over correctly for some reason!