teteri66

Welcome to the board. Please remember that members do not have formal medical training, but rely on knowledge gained through personal experience. I can give you a general idea of the radiology report, but wait for your doctor's report for an accurate interpretation.

Basically your lumbar spine is in good shape with the exception of the last segment, Lumbar 5-Sacral 1, where there are some general signs of degenerative change. Spondylolisthesis is a condition where one vertebra slips over the top of the adjacent vertebra. It can cause some instability in the spine, and it may or may not cause symptoms of pain. It is graded from I to IV with one indicating a slippage of 0 - 25%...up to grade IV which is the worst. For grade I it usually isn't necessary to do anything about it.

There are also a couple issues with the disc that is located between the L5 and S1 vertebra. It is bulging sufficiently that it is pushing into the thecal sac (the membrane that surrounds the central canal). Since the nerves run through this central canal, this "effacement" can be a cause of pain.

Also this same disc has an annular tear, which is a tear located in the tough outer ring of the disc.

These issues can and do heal without surgical intervention, and can be treated with conservative methods.

Finally, the report refers to a slight loss of the lordotic curve -- this is the curve near the base of the spine -- if there is too much, the person looks like he has a "sway" back. This report indicates that there is a slight LOSS of this curve, meaning the back is a bit flatter than normal. This can be a result of muscle spasms and can about as a result of chronic pain. it can also be caused by weak stomach muscles. Sometimes it can be corrected through physical therapy and exercise, and often doesn't really cause any major problems.

I hope my comments help you a little bit. Please wait for your doctor's explanation of your MRI findings.