Was wondering if any armchair-docs (or real ones for that matter!) wish to help me interpret these two images of my spine.
The problem looks relatively obvious to me (a lay person) but I’d love to hear what smarter people think these images may mean.
I am currently waiting for an official medical opinion but those may take a week or longer so in the meantime just for the sake of interest I thought I’d share the images and see if anyone has an unofficial insight into what we might be looking at here.
I’m a former MRI/CT tech, plus personally have had lumbar fusion for impingement/stenosis that showed similar narrowing of spinal canal. I also cannot be 100% accurate without having the rest of series of imaging, plus this is just guessing (I’m not a Doc, your Doc, etc, but know plenty aout image results).
It appears that you have disc bulge(s) (or something similar) at L-2/3 and at L-3/4. (assuming 5 lumbar vertebrae - some folks have six, fwiw). Compare the 'smoothness of spinal canal of this image compared to yours. Typically, the anterior edge of the whitish area at rear of spine is more or less ‘smooth’. You show what appears to be ‘pinching’/bulging (so to speak) in several areas, IMHO. But one image does not make a diagnosis by any means.
I do have to qualify my guess as it takes seeing entire scan (coronal/axial/sagittal planes, per se) to confirm its from disc or whatever. I’m just throwing out my guess based on one image, so please don’t presume this one image is fully diagnostic (ie don’t freak out).
There’s lots of ‘normal’ L-spine MRI’s that Googling images thereof can show you so you can compare smoothness yourself. The one pic I linked to was just to show how a disc bulge can push into the canal; whether this is what is actually happening is best left to the radiologist that has full access to all images along with physical exam/history info, etc.
Hope that helps a little for ya I am just playing armchair radiologist here, so its just a very informal opinion and I urge you to wait for report before going into total-worry mode, OK? Also, the white areas shown just to rear of spine is the fluid within the spinal canal, if you did not already realize that. When a disc bulges to rear, it pushes the white part backwards/sideways out of its way, hence the non-smoothness of the canal when that is the issue. HTH, and best of luck with your outcome
Thanks Ionizer, I greatly appreciate your input. I will refrain from worrying and wait for a formal diagnosis but at least know I can mentally prepare myself a bit better for the possibilities.
You are very welcome - and again, I do hope the best for you. IF its a disc-thing, surgical approaches/options have come a LONG way recently in quicker recovery/better outcome, etc. Just thought it worth mentioning, if it helps with being patient 'til results are ‘official’ and all. Take care…
RNATB: very well could be, but oftentimes, the patient is not perfectly aligned for imaging and that’s why its so hard to get total picture of situation unless you can scroll through (side-to-side and up/down through images, so speak). A slight deviation from perfect alignment of image ‘slices’ can be deceptive on a single image. I just went with what seemed kinda obvious on the one image. And I could be wrong, but it certainly doesn’t look like a ‘normal’ L-spine MRI IME.
Did you swipe one of my MRIs? You’ve got more disc height at L5-S1 than I did, but other than that…
As **Ionizer **said, we’d really need the rest of the images to make a better assessment, but from the one pic that I can see, you’ve got something going on fom L2 down. Your disc are at least relatively bright, meaning they’re still alive. On my scans, the L4-L5 and L5-S1 discs were black and dead with DDD or degenerative disc disease, which led to me having an L4-L5-S1 fusion about 20 months ago.
I agree 100 per cent with the above, fwiw. I just wanted to avoid being someone who misdiagnosed/misinterpreted one single image and scared you needlessly. Do not ignore this situation if you are having any symptoms of numbness/pain or such in lower extremities (legs/feet…). It will NOT improve on its own, trust me. Trust your Doc, or seek second opinion if things seem to be against your desires/beliefs, etc, etc…
My L-4/5 fusion happened about a year after my legs were going totally numb after walking maybe 100’ or so, but insurance was an issue for almost a year (surprise, surprise), and once I had my ‘fusion’, I was walking less than three hours after surgery. The pain was MUCH less than what my 97+% stenosis of bilateral foramina was giving me (genetic disposition from family history, fwiw), and nurses were amazed at what I could tolerate painwise. It was soooo much better immediately. Just sayin’… Your results are not official yet, so keep that in mind, please. IF you have symptoms in legs/feet, well, guess you’re on the right track! Keep chugging along 'til its remedied properly. Needless to say, avoid chiropractic stuff, LOL…
Thanks again for all your input everyone, it really helped me emotionally avoid having to worry all day long.
Fortunately, a family friend, who happens to be a senior Neurosurgeon (though in the USA and we’re in Canada) was kind enough to review the full scan data tonight and provided their informed (albeit still unofficial, the one ordered by my doc will still be a week) opinion: Large rupture of disc L5/S1. Apparently due to the size of the hernia it will definitely require an invasive intervention.
Am going to start looking for surgeons tomorrow who can do a Microdiscectomy. It’s a bit weird (to me) that this area can be covered by either a Spinal Orthopaedic surgeon or a neurosurgeon but apparently that is the case.
You’re having pain and/or numbness, right? Or bladder symptoms? I ask because a year after my L4/5 rupture and surgery (and after two years of pain before it ruptured), I had pain and went for an MRI, which revealed a sizeable rupture of L5/S1. Between the first MD appointment, MRI, and second appointment, the pain lessened. Before I had a chance to say anything, the MD told me surgery was necessary. He was shocked when I told him the pain was decreasing and even more shocked when I denied being incontinent. Because I seemed to be improving, he didn’t do surgery and I’ve been fine for over 20 years now.
Brynda: Yes, extremely intense pain and slight loss of mobility. It’s been like this for more than two months and seems to be getting worse. Whether or not I could possibly wait this out, I’m not sure I would want to given the low risk and high success rate of the surgical procedure.
[QUOTE=andrea_green]
Fortunately, a family friend, who happens to be a senior Neurosurgeon (though in the USA and we’re in Canada) was kind enough to review the full scan data tonight and provided their informed (albeit still unofficial, the one ordered by my doc will still be a week) opinion: Large rupture of disc L5/S1. Apparently due to the size of the hernia it will definitely require an invasive intervention.
Am going to start looking for surgeons tomorrow who can do a Microdiscectomy. It’s a bit weird (to me) that this area can be covered by either a Spinal Orthopaedic surgeon or a neurosurgeon but apparently that is the case.
[/QUOTE]
It’s been my experience that a good many neurosurgeons can read MRIs at least as well as the radiologist that your doctor is waiting for. The neuro who did my disc replacement and fusion (at opposite ends of my spine) pretty much ignored the rad reports.
I’m also a bit weirded out at the idea that an orthopedic doc who can bolt together a broken leg can also do spinal procedures. If nerves are the body’s wiring, I’d rather have them repaired by an electrician rather than a carpenter.
I am just playing armchair radiologist here, so its just a very informal opinion and I urge you to wait for report before going into total-worry mode, OK? Also, the white areas shown just to rear of spine is the fluid within the spinal canal, if you did not already realize that. When a disc bulges to rear, it pushes the white part backwards/sideways out of its way, hence the non-smoothness of the canal when that is the issue. HTH, and best of luck with your outcome 