Question
Hello Dr. Eric,

My MRI Report reads as follows:

                MRI LUMBOSACRAL SPINE

PROTOCOL:
MRI of lumbosacral spine was performed without contrast enhancement.
Scans are performed using T1 & T2 weighted saggital and axial plane.

FINDINGS
Alignment is normal.
L5 vertebra shows suspicious prs interarticularis defect bilaterally.
Facet Joints are normal.
Ligamentum flavum is normal.
Pre & paravertebral soft tissues are normal.

CANAL MEASUREMENTS
L1 - 1.46cm
L2 - 1.35cm
L3 - 1.13cm
L4 - 1.12cm
L5 - 1.52cm

INTERVERTEBRAL DISCS
L1-2 and L2-3 discs are normal.
L3-4 disc shows posterior lrft lateral and foraminal protusion causing mild thecal sac indentatino and compression of left L3 exiting root.
L4-5 discs shows loss of hydration and small posterior central protrusion indentin thecal sac.
L5-S1 disc shows no significant disc buldge or protrusion.

IMPRESSION
MRI LUMBOSACRAL SPINE SHOWS:

1. SUSPICIOUS SPONDYLOLYSIS AT L5 BILATERALLY. NO LYSTHESIS.
2. RELATIVELY NARROW CANAL AT L3-L4 LEVEL.
3. POSTERIOR LEFT LATERAL AND FORAMINAL PROTRUSION OF L3-L4 DISC CAUSING MILD THECAL SAC INDENTATION AND COMPRESSION OF LEFT L3 EXITIONG ROOT.
4. SMALL POSTERIOR CENTRAL PROTRUSION OF L4-L5 DISC INDENTING THECAL SAC.

NOTE: SCREENING OF CERVICODORSAL SPINE SHOWED NO ABNORMALITY.

Here are the questions:

1. Does this pain leads to any cardiovascular complications?
2. Which parts of the body are affected by the compression of L3?
3. How does this loss of hydration in the vertebras can be replenished?
4. How this protrusion can be corrected?


Thanks,

Hope to hear from you soon.

Yours Sincerely,
Subhash Mehra.

Answer
1.  no
2.  L3 nerve root will mostly affect the front of the thigh and into the knee.
3.  yes the hydration can be replenished but cause has to be addressed, which is a malposition of the vertebrae surrounding the disc.  Misalignment will cause an imbalance in muscle tension which in turn causes an imbalance in pressure that is placed on the disc.
4.  Protrusions can be corrected by two means, 1)surgery, 2) chiropractic.  I suggest chiropractic first, it is less invasive and will not debilitate you like surgery can.

Dr. Starbuck