QuestionI had an MRI done due to back pain and I dont understand it
1.severly limited study due to patient motion artifact.
2.findings suspicious for small left paracentral annual buldges without significant enroachment at T10-11 and T11-12.
3.evidence of amall right annular buldge at T5-6
4. no other growth abnormalties as imaged.
impression:
1.As the thoracic MRI demonstrated conus located at the superior aspect of t12 and the lumbar MRI demontrates apparent location at the superior aspect of l1 this suggests either variant thoracic or lumbar segmentation and radiographic confirmation should be performed prior to any surgical intervention????
WHAT DOES ALL THIS MEAN IN ENGLISH?
AnswerThese reports are great; almost written so even doctors cannot understand!!! I will break it down by your numbers:
1. You might have moved while the machine was on, giving a blur to the picture.
2. A bulge between the center and about 45 degrees if you looked at the disc from above, not significant enough to put pressure on a nerve root.
3. A bulge wtihin the layers of the disc at T5/T6 (if you looked at the disc, it is layered almost like an onion, with a jello center.
4. Nothing there.
Impression: the end of the spinal cord is at T12 (your cord branches to what looks like a horses tail at that level...this is normal), you may have either an extra Thoracic or lumbar vertebra, which can be shown on an xray...again, a normal variant.