Reading an MRI four weeks after surgery is fraught with interpretation problems. The surgery site will be inflamed and there could be all sorts of findings that are of no consequence. This is where the “art” of medicine is all important. A large “bulge” of 1/3 of the nerve canal could be recurrent herniation or could be a seroma (a collection of fluid that commonly occurs after a microdiscectomy).
Close inspection of the MRI and your history and physical examination will lead to the correct answer. I assume that this MRI included gadolinium (the “dye” injected into your vein right before the scan was performed).
Dr. Corenman
PLEASE REMEMBER, THIS FORUM IS MEANT TO PROVIDE GENERAL INFORMATION ON SPINE ANATOMY, CONDITIONS AND TREATMENTS. TO GET AN ACCURATE DIAGNOSIS, YOU MUST VISIT A QUALIFIED PROFESSIONAL IN PERSON.
Donald Corenman, MD, DC is a highly-regarded spine surgeon, considered an expert in the area of neck and back pain. Trained as both a Medical Doctor and Doctor of Chiropractic, Dr. Corenman earned academic appointments as Clinical Assistant Professor and Assistant Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, and his research on spine surgery and rehabilitation has resulted in the publication of multiple peer-reviewed articles and two books.
