[roadiez]

#6706

Hi there Dr.Corenman I have some MRI results I would like you to interpet for me & let me know would I be a canidate for surgury or for just PT & cortizone injections. I have lots of pain in my neck area,tingling in left arm & hand. Some in right hand. And my left lower leg & foot are too.

Here is the MRI report:

MRI CERVICAL SPINE W/O CONTRAST

Fndings:
There is redemonstration of the normal cervical lrdosis. Cervical
spine is normal in course & caliber. No signal abnormality within the cervical cord.

There is multi level degenerative disc disease.

C2-3: No signifigant spinal stenosis

C3-4: There is a small disc bulge. Thecal sac measures 8mm representing mild to moderate spinal stenosis.
No signifigant foraminal encrachment.

C4-5: There is disc bulge/disc osteophyte complex which is asymmetric to the left. This effaces the left lateral recess. Central canal is narrowed to 7mm representing moderate spinal stenosis. There is moderate left-sided neural forminal encroachment.

C5-6 There is a disc bulge/posterior disc osteophyte complex which asymmtetric to the left which effaces the lateral recess. There is moderate left-sided neural forminal encroachment.
Central canal is narrowed to 7mm representing mild spinal stenosis.

C6-7: There is a right paracentral disc osteophyte complex which effaces the right lateral recess.
Central canal i narrowed to 7mm representing moderate spinal stenosis. There is severe right-sided neural forminal encroachment.

C7-T1: No signifigant spinal stenosis or neural forminal encroachment.

Impression:
1.MULTILEVEL DEGENERATION DISC DISEASE SIMILAR TO PREVIOS EXAMINATION.

2.AT THE C4-5 & C5-6 LEVELS. THERE ARE DISC BULGES/POSTERIOR DISC OSTEOPHYTE COMPLEXES WHICH ARE ASYMMETRIC TO THE LEFT & EFFACE THE LEFT LATTERAL RECESS. THERE IS ASSOCIATED
MODERATE LEFT-SIDED NEURAL FORMINAL ENCROACHMENT AT THESE LEVELS & MODERATE SPNAL STENOSIS.

3.aT THE C6-7 LEVEL. THERE IS A RIGHT PARACANTRAL DISC OSTEOPHYTE COMPLEX PRODUCING MODERATE
SPINAL STENOSIS,EFFACING THE RIGHT LATERAL RECESS & CONTRIBUTING TO SEVERE RIGH SIDED NEURAL FORMINAL ENCROACHMENT.

EXANMINATION: MRI OF LUMBAR SPINE

FINDINGS: Multiplanar, multisequence MR imanging of the lumbar spine was performed. Vertebral alignment is
well maintained. The conus is at the L1 level. There is a hemangioma within the L1 verebral body. The lumbar spinal canal is congenitally narrow econday to short pedicles from the L2 through L4 levels.

The L1-L2 intervertrebral disc space is within normal limits.

The L2-L3 intervertrebral disc space dmonstrates no signifigant neural foraminal or spinal canl stenosis.

At the L3-L4 level, there is a mild bilateral neural foraminal narrowing secondary to patients short pedicles. No
signifigant central spinal canal stenosis is identified.

At the L4-L5 level, there is a mild broad based disc bulge with mild bilateral neural forminal narrowing.
No signifigant spinal canal stenosis is identified. There is narrowing of the bilateral, lateral recesses secondary
to the patient’s mild broad based disc bulge and congenitally narrow spinal canal.

At the L5-S1 level, there is mild left-sided neural foraminal narrowing. No signifigant central spinal canal stenosis identified.

IMRESSION:
1. NO SIGNIFIGANT CENTRAL SPINAL CANAL STENOSIS IDENTIFIED.

2. THE LUMBAR SPINAL CANAL IS CONGENITALLY NARROW,AS DECIBED ABOVE.

3.THERE IS MILD NEURAL FORAMINAL NARROWING AT THE L-3-L4,L4-L5 AND L5-S1 LEVELS, AS DECRIBED ABOVE.

4. THE LOWER THORACIC CORD IS NORMAL IN CALIBER AND SIGNAL. THE NERVE ROOTS OF THE CAUDA EQUINA IS ALSO NORMAL IN APPERANCE.

[Donald Corenman, MD, DC]

#6733

Please see the section on “how to describe symptoms” to more completely convey your symptoms.

The MRI notes multilevel degenerative changes of the discs from C3-C7. This would explain your neck pain. Associated with that is narrowing of the nerve outlets on the left. This would explain your left arm and shoulder symptoms. You also have significant narrowing of the central canal where the spinal cord resides. This could ultimately cause cord compression and myelopathy (see website). There also is a small risk depending upon your activity level of a central cord injury (see website for this explanation).

Your lumbar spine notes mild degenerative changes. The report does not indicate that your leg pain originates from the lumbar spine.

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.

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