I had MRI done on Wednesday and got my results yesterday. However, my doctor isn't available for 2 weeks. Would someone explain my report in plain English? I would greatly appreciate it:

1) AS seen on T2 sagittal images, there has been significant interval improvement at the L4-L5 level with likely interval surgical intervention.

2) There is minimal residual broad-based protruding disc and endplate osteophyte, however this does not produce significant stenosis.

3) There is a tiny posterior central annular tear at L5-S1, which does not produce significant stenosis.

4) The conus medullaris is normal in signal and caliber.

5) Degenerative and likely post-operative changes at L4-L5 with minimal broad-based protruding disc and endplate osteophyte but no evidence of recurrent disc herniation, spinal or foraminal stenosis.

Please don't think I'm lazy. I've looked up all these medical terms individually but cannot put them together to make whole lotta sense to me. Again, thank you so much for your help in advance.

1) AS seen on T2 sagittal images, there has been significant interval improvement at the L4-L5 level with likely interval surgical intervention.

Did you already have surgery on this? It sounds like you improved since surgery but you don't mention surgery.

2) There is minimal residual broad-based protruding disc and endplate osteophyte, however this does not produce significant stenosis.

ostephytes are bone spurs.

Protruding disk can be a bulging disk.

It say, doesn't produce significant stenoisis. stenosis is a narrowing of the area.


3) There is a tiny posterior central annular tear at L5-S1, which does not produce significant stenosis

You have a tear in your disk, but it doens't mean that you have significant stenosis, again a narrowing.

4) The conus medullaris is normal in signal and caliber.

Don't sweat it, that is normal. :)

5) Degenerative and likely post-operative changes at L4-L5 with minimal broad-based protruding disc and endplate osteophyte but no evidence of recurrent disc herniation, spinal or foraminal stenosis.

It is saying that you have degenerative, DDD, after surgery at L5/L5 with minimal protruding (bulging) disk and and end plate bone spur but no evidende of a new herniation of the disk or narrowing.

This all sounds like good news. There is no mention of nerves and an impingment, which is a really good thing.

When was your surgery?

Those bone spurs might cause you trouble on down the line but it sounds like they are not causing trouble now and most everyone has them.

You might look up, cause of bone spurs. Pretty informative stuff :)

I. Betty,

Thank you so much for doing this. I really appreciate it and yes, it was very helpful.

To answer yor questions, no I did not get a surgery but I do have a home traction device which I use frequently. It's a generic ancient version of VAX-D.

As far as the pain goes, I have hard time standing while my left hip area absolutely kills every morning. Then by the afternoon, I loosen up and feel pretty good the rest of the day. One thing I notice every morning in the mirror, my body/posture looks S-shaped which also straightens out by the afternoon.

I've had a back trouble since 20 and now I am 36. I'm desperately trying my best to avoid a surgery.

BTW, should I look into getting the bone spur removed?

Thank you again!

nope, unless those bone spurs are causing you trouble, NEVER remove bone spurs as they grow back, however, bone spurs are an indication of another problem, that is why you should surf the net to find out what causes them. I can't post a website here but they are out there.

:)

S- shaped is not good. You should find out why that is happening. Maybe your body is trying to compensate for whatever is happening, while you sleep.

I read that the only time that one should have surgery on your back is when you break your back, have cancer, and one more that I have forgotten.

Surgery only causes you to have more problems so avoid it at all costs.

There are lots of alternatives.

just my two cents :)