Can someone please help me understand my mri
on my lumbar spine.
Impression:
1.Acute annulus tear with focal herniation which is central at the L5-S1 level with mild compromise of the neural foramina on both side.

2.Bulging disc at L4-L5 with compromise of left neural foramen more than right .

3.Disc osteophyte complex at the T12-L1 level with narrowing of spinal canal.No evidence for compression of cord or cauda. Posterior disc displacement is noted at the T12-L1 level and at the L5-S1 level.

Hi ~ I'll try to help, but I'm no doctor.

1. Acute Annular tear - The annula is a fluid filled sac that the disc sits in -- this is torn. Central herniation at L5-S1 with mild compromise of neural foramina on both sides. The foramen are the holes that the nerves pass thru to get to the spinal cord. These holes are getting narrow due to the herniation pushing on it.

2. Bulging disc at L4-5 with compromise of left neural foramen (see above) more than right.

3. Disc osteophyte complex at T12-L1 with narrowing of spinal canal. There are bone spurs at this level that narrows the canal. The cord is NOT compressed and that's GOOD. Rear disc displacement is noted at T12-L1 and at L5-S1 -- the discs are displaced at these levels due to either herniations or bone spurs.

I hope this answers SOME questions. I know it's confusing. If i can answer any more questions, let me know. I doubt any surgery would be done at this time, but consult a NEUROSURGEON, NOT A NEUROLOGIST. Have your doctor refer you to one. Physical therapy will probably do you some good, but still consult a Neuro. God bless and take care. Hugs, Lee

Is this do a preexisting back injury. Or from the fall.

Like I said, I'm no doctor, so I can't say for sure, but #1 and #2 COULD be, but I'd ask your doctor to be sure. Without having a prior MRI or prior records, it's hard to know.

Wishing you the best. Hugs, Lee

Can doctors say its do to p reexisting injury

If you have no previous dr records, tests or appts for these issues there is a better chance of it being from an injury.
But only a drs exam , health history, time line & symptoms can really help in that part of things.

I suggest making notes and a time line of everything that happened, so it is clear for the drs and your atty if goes to that level.

I think the Disc osteophyte complex would have been there for awhile, it isn't an instant thing, like the tears, bulging or herniations might be.

Thank you very much

What is desiccated and presents a bright annulus at the L5-S1.

Hi. The doc who ordered the MRI should be helping you understand what all this means. That being said, though, I understand wanting to understand as much as you can maybe faster than the doctor can give you info.

Dessicated = degraded, degenerated - probably referring to a lumbar disk. I don't know what a bright annulus means, other than usually on an MRI (depends on the type) a bright white color indicates fluid, which in a disk would be good and the opposite of a dessicated disk, which would probably appear black.

Is this what you were asking?

BIBO

Dessicated means that the disc is drying out. That happens as we age, usually but some of us experience it sooner than others.