Help explaining MRI results

Tagged: This the recent one. And I think I need another thoracic one done as well.

Viewing 6 posts - 7 through 12 (of 15 total)

Author

Posts
scjibberja
Participant

May 6, 2016 at 12:10 am

Post count: 2

#22122

went to neurosurgeon he showed me image of my spine pointed with an ink pen to show me that
” C2,C3,C4,C5,C6,” vertebre were all in bad shape and would all have to fix all 5 at one time and ‘Could have to put two metal rods all the way up my back or at least two long pins with screws in my neck to secure my neck and didnt know if that would completely fix it ,with other things going on and would be a very long recovery( cord looks kinked )from 4 wheeler accident may have been bleeding ! " I TOLD HIM NOT UNTIL I HAVE TO HAVE SURGERY " he said he didnt blame me. i asked him if it would get any better and he just shrugged his shoulder and said it might. (that answered my question ).went back to may doctor he told me i wouldn`t be going back to work and he would up my Meds as i needed them !

Donald Corenman, MD, DC
Moderator

May 6, 2016 at 5:15 am

Post count: 8660

#22123

You have not defined any symptoms which could be neck pain, arm pain and weakness or cord compression with myelopathy. See all those sections to understand what symptoms could be generated by those problems. Also see the section “when to have neck (or cervical) surgery” to understand when it is time to consider surgery.

Having 5 levels fused is a big deal, especially from the back of the neck with a longer recovery time. You need this surgeon to explain why so many levels need to be fixed and what the eventual outcome should be expected.

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.

Jessanderi
Participant

January 9, 2019 at 9:41 am

Post count: 7

#30052

Jessica
Health
Visits
Messaging
Billing
News and Events
Profile
Jessica Sue Wilson
Log Out
BBC MRI C-Spine w/o Contrast – DetailsPrinter friendly page–New window will open
About This Test

Details
Study Result
Narrative
Report
MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING:THORACIC SPINE WITHOUT CONTRAST
MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING CERVICAL SPINE WITHOUT CONTRAST

HISTORY: Pain with bilateral radiculopathy.

MRI THORACIC SPINE:

There is normal alignment of the vertebral bodies that appear normal in height and signal intensity. Disc spaces are maintained. The spinal cord has normal shape and signal intensity.

At T8-9 is noted a small right paracentral focal disc protrusion which abuts the anterior aspect of the cord without displacing it.

There is no canal stenosis, neural foraminal narrowing, or disc herniation.

IMPRESSION:

Small right paracentral focal disc protrusion at T8-9. This abuts the anterior aspect of the cord without displacing it.

MRI CERVICAL SPINE:

There is normal alignment of the vertebral bodies that appear normal in height and signal intensity. Disc spaces are maintained. The spinal cord has normal shape and signal intensity.

C2-3: No abnormality.

C3-4: Central focal disc protrusion without neural impingement.

C4-5: Minimal diffuse disc bulge without neural impingement.

C5-6: No abnormality.

C6-7: No abnormality.

C7-T1: No abnormality.

IMPRESSION:

Small central focal disc protrusion at C3-4 without neural impingement.

Interpretation Location: 10.10.161.33

********** FINAL REPORT **********
Dictated By: Delaunay MD , Stephane L 05/21/2014 20:24
Assigned Physician: Delaunay MD , Stephane L
Reviewed and Electronically Signed By: Delaunay MD , Stephane L 05/22/2014 18:11
Transcribed by: JAC 05/22/2014 17:54
Technologist: CDC

Component Results
There is no component information for this result.

General Information
Collected:
05/21/2014 4:15 PM

Resulted:
05/21/2014 4:15 PM

Ordered By:
JUDEAN JOHNSON-MORGAN, DO

Result Status:
Final result

This test result has been released by an automatic process.
You may see test results before the doctor has time to review it with you. Your doctor will review this report within five business days and contact you if necessary. If you have questions about this result, please contact your doctor’s office.
BACK TO THE TEST RESULTS LIST
Site MapTerms & ConditionsContact UsHigh Contrast ThemeMyChart® licensed from Epic Systems Corporation © 1999 – 2018

Jessanderi
Participant

January 9, 2019 at 9:43 am

Post count: 7

#30053

Study Result
Narrative
Report
MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING:THORACIC SPINE WITHOUT CONTRAST
MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING CERVICAL SPINE WITHOUT CONTRAST

HISTORY: Pain with bilateral radiculopathy.

MRI THORACIC SPINE:

There is normal alignment of the vertebral bodies that appear normal in height and signal intensity. Disc spaces are maintained. The spinal cord has normal shape and signal intensity.

At T8-9 is noted a small right paracentral focal disc protrusion which abuts the anterior aspect of the cord without displacing it.

There is no canal stenosis, neural foraminal narrowing, or disc herniation.

IMPRESSION:

Small right paracentral focal disc protrusion at T8-9. This abuts the anterior aspect of the cord without displacing it.

MRI CERVICAL SPINE:

There is normal alignment of the vertebral bodies that appear normal in height and signal intensity. Disc spaces are maintained. The spinal cord has normal shape and signal intensity.

C2-3: No abnormality.

C3-4: Central focal disc protrusion without neural impingement.

C4-5: Minimal diffuse disc bulge without neural impingement.

C5-6: No abnormality.

C6-7: No abnormality.

C7-T1: No abnormality.

IMPRESSION:

Small central focal disc protrusion at C3-4 without neural impingement.

Interpretation Location: 10.10.161.33

********** FINAL REPORT **********
Dictated By: Delaunay MD , Stephane L 05/21/2014 20:24
Assigned Physician: Delaunay MD , Stephane L
Reviewed and Electronically Signed By: Delaunay MD , Stephane L 05/22/2014 18:11
Transcribed by: JAC 05/22/2014 17:54
Technologist: CDC

Component Results
There is no component information for this result.

General Information
Collected:
05/21/2014 4:15 PM

Resulted:
05/21/2014 4:15 PM

Ordered By:
JUDEAN JOHNSON-MORGAN, DO

Result Status:
Final result

Jessanderi
Participant

January 9, 2019 at 9:49 am

Post count: 7

#30054

Impression
IMPRESSION:
1. There are mild, stable degenerative changes of C3-C4.
2. C4-C5 demonstrates a mild interval increase in the central disc
protrusion. There is no significant spinal canal narrowing. There is no
neural foraminal narrowing.

Dictated by: David Smullen, MD on 3/21/2015 9:57 AM.
Electronically signed by: David Smullen, MD on 3/21/2015 10:01 AM.

Narrative
EXAMINATION: MRI Cervical Spine without Contrast

HISTORY: NECK PAIN.

TECHNIQUE: Sagittal T1, T2 and STIR. Axial T2 and gradient-echo.

Comparison: May 21, 2014

FINDINGS:

C2-C3 demonstrates no posterior disc abnormality, central canal or neural
foraminal narrowing.

C3-C4 demonstrates a mild posterior disc protrusion with a slightly more
prominent central component. There is no lateral recess or neural foraminal
narrowing. The AP diameter spinal canal measures 9 mm. This is stable when
compared to the prior study.

C4-C5 demonstrates a central disc protrusion. There is no neural foraminal
narrowing. The AP diameter spinal canal measures 9 mm. This has progressed
since the prior study.

C5-C6 demonstrates no posterior disc abnormality, central canal or neural
foraminal narrowing.

C6-C7 demonstrates no posterior disc abnormality, central canal or neural
foraminal narrowing.

C7-T1 demonstrates no posterior disc abnormality, central canal or neural
foraminal narrowing.

Signal within the cervical spinal cord is normal.

Jessanderi
Participant

January 9, 2019 at 9:51 am

Post count: 7

#30055

IMPRESSION:
1. T8-T9 demonstrates a stable right paracentral disc protrusion that
minimally effaces the thoracic spinal cord. There is no cord edema.

Dictated by: David Smullen, MD on 3/21/2015 10:29 AM.
Electronically signed by: David Smullen, MD on 3/21/2015 10:31 AM.

Narrative
EXAMINATION: MRI Thoracic Spine without Contrast

HISTORY: THORACIC PAIN.

TECHNIQUE: Sagittal and axial T1 and T2-weighted and sagittal STIR sequences.

Comparison: May 21, 2014

FINDINGS:

T8-T9 demonstrates a stable right paracentral disc protrusion that minimally
effaces the thoracic spinal cord. There is no cord edema.

The intervertebral foramina in the imaged areas are within normal limits with
no apparent cross-sectional diameter compromise of significance.

The overall vertebral body heights are maintained within normal limits and
the appearance of the marrow spaces within the vertebral bodies is normal for
age.

The visualized spinal cord has appropriate internal signal.

Component Results
There is no component information for this result.

General Information
Collected:
03/20/2015 8:20 PM

Resulted:
03/21/2015 10:31 AM
Author

Posts

Viewing 6 posts - 7 through 12 (of 15 total)

Previous 1 2 3 Next

You must be logged in to reply to this topic.

Donald Corenman, MD, DC

Average rating:

81 reviews

Eric S

Sep 26, 2021

by Eric S on Donald Corenman, MD, DC

Successful pars repair at 46 years old

Back in November of 2018 (at 46 years old) I came from Vancouver BC to have a pars repair done with Dr. Donald Corenman at the Steadman Clinic in Vail Colorado. I'm finally posting this review nearly three years later in late 2021. The reason I waited so long was I wanted to know the final result before I posted my review. Unfortunately in that time Dr. Corenman has retired. Nevertheless, I want to post this review of Dr. Corenman and his staff at the Steadman Clinic in their excellent treatment of my L5 pars interarticularis.

I fractured my pars at age 42 back in 2014 when rolling on the gym floor, and was denied treatment by the Canadian healthcare system, probably due to my age. First my GP told me there was no surgical option for a pars defect, which was quite incorrect! I tried to live with it, but the symptoms worsened (periodic random spine slippage and weeks of resultant pain after just bending over to tie my shoe, so I eventually learned to mostly squat and hardly bend). When I finally consulted with Canadian spine surgeons, I was told they believed my pars defect had been congenital (since birth). This was absurd, considering I had done extreme martial arts (including jiu jitsu) for years prior, as well as 5 years of reinforcing steel full time in my 20s, probably the hardest job on the back you can find. No pars defect like mine would possibly have allowed this--ergo it was impossible that I had had the defect since birth. I did however have an asymptomatic congenital spina bifida occulta that made me more susceptible to a pars fracture. In 2014 in one instant, I went from having the strongest back people I knew said they'd ever seen, to being unable to safely bend over and tie my shoe without a non-negligible risk of my spine slipping randomly (which would lead to weeks of pain after each occurrence). This was due to the unilateral L5 pars defect, otherwise known as spondylolysis. It was when lying in pain on the floor 4 years later after maybe the 6th spine slippage event post injury, that I had had enough, and resolved to have surgery. If Canada's "universal health care" said no, I would make lemonade from lemons, and find the very best surgeon in the world at pars repairs. That was Dr. Donald Corenman. Dr. Corenman back in 2018 ran a website https://neckandback.com/ that dedicated many pages to the science of every aspect of pars repairs, from eligibility (good discs on MRI), to best surgical techniques (minimal open compared to minimally invasive), best imaging to use (i.e., O-Arm with Stealth imaging vs. older fluoroscopy), the ideal amount of BMP to use and why not use too much or too little, and much more, all to do with pars repairs, pages upon pages of his site just on the pars, with scientific references and his own extensive expert opinion. As a health research statistician, I was very impressed with this. It was in stark contrast to the websites of other spine surgeons which barely gave the pars a word or two, focusing almost exclusively on fusions. I had found the best surgeon in the world for pars repairs, and so after Dr. Corenman personally screened my MRI to ensure my discs were healthy, I booked the surgery.

Being 46 years old at the time of surgery in 2018, with a 4-year-old pars fracture from 2014 combined with a congenital SBO meant my pars fragment was somewhat atrophied, but it was "very solid", said Dr. Corenman in the operative report. Nevertheless, it was challenging with two things to fix, the pars and SBO, and OR time was around 4 hours. Recovery over the following months was guided by a very clear "Spine binder" from the Steadman Clinic with strict rules of "no BLT" (no bending, lifting or twisting), and illustrated physiotherapy guidelines. They even warned patients to avoid fish oil supplements, which could excessively dampen inflammation and hence slow bone healing. They answered many questions I had during months of recovery, with responses coming from the very supportive Lori Fugate (then director of Dr. Corenman's practice), and Ehrich Bean (then physician's assistant at the practice), as well as a couple calls with Dr. Corenman himself after two of the CT scans. Ehrich Bean offered great advice for taking the spine binder conservatively due to the nature of pars repairs vs. fusions. The final post-op CT scan I had was a couple weeks ago at 34 months post-op, and Dr. Corenman had retired, but I got a very positive and informative call from Eric Strauch (current PA at the Steadman Clinic under Dr. Corenman's replacement there, and who had also worked with Dr. Corenman previously). The staff at the Steadman Clinic were extremely supportive all the way through the process. I should mention, the local Canadian spine surgeon did offer me very good post-operative support including antibiotics as needed to deal with a mild surface incision-site infection early on, booking numerous x-rays when I felt something was amiss, as well as booking all four of my post-op CT scans. I am very grateful for that support also.

My final result shows plenty of solid bone across the pars and a healed SBO, with my vertebral body now a solid bone ring instead of being broken at two places as it was pre-op. Does my spine hold up in the real world? You bet! I have recently dug and moved several yards of dirt and sand and gravel by myself (shovel and wheelbarrow!) to fix our water main, pulled roots from the yard, moved several "portable" (these are HUGE) air conditioners up several flights of stairs my myself, and lifted weights. I now run 2 miles (3.2 KM) several times weekly with a hard 100 meter dash in the middle. I bend deeply before each run I go on, with no spine slippage. My spine feels amazing. I can bend over to do exercise, or real word tasks, with no risk of spine slippage.

My sincere thanks to God, Dr. Donald Corenman, Lori Fugate, Ehrich Bean, Eric Strauch, and the Steadman Clinic, as well as the Canadian spine surgeon who offered me excellent post-operative care back in Canada. You have all given me a new lease on life.

Sincerely,
Eric S

Robert S

May 11, 2021

by Robert S on Donald Corenman, MD, DC

Back Fusion Surgery

I had my entire lumbar spine fused in November of 2018. I had scoliosis , with pinched nerves that were so painful I could hardly walk - and standing for more than a few minutes was impossible. Even sitting was painful.
The fusion surgery produced immediate relief! And the recovery was much easier than I expected.
To this day I can do all the activities I love from hiking, to standing in a stream fly fishing to riding my bike long distances - or just walking down the street with my wife.
Kudos to Dr. Corenman and his staff, (including the two Erics) for taking such good care of me!

Leslie R

Jul 9, 2020

by Leslie R on Donald Corenman, MD, DC

TLIF

I had my TLIF surgery on 6/24/2020 by Dr. Corenman, I can not say enough good things about the Dr or his staff. I was always treated with respect and explained everything throughly, that made it easy for everyone to understand. I highly recommend Dr. Corenman and the Steadman Clinic.

Submit your review
First Name, Last Initial:
Email:
Review Title:
Rating:	1 2 3 4 5
Review:

Check this box to confirm you are human.
Submit Cancel