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CHronic Back Pain MRI Interpretation

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Can someone please let me know if my MRI report justifies the Chronic Back pain I am having....

MRI THORACIC SPINE WITHOUT CONTRAST
Technical data: Sagittal T1, sagittal T2, Sagittal STIR, axial T1, and axial T2

FINDINGS: The vertebral body heights are maintained. No compression deformity is visualized. There is no evidence of bone marrow infiltrating lesion No edema is visualized on the inversion recovery weighted images. There is a small Schmoral node involving the inferior endplate of T7.

There is focal kyphosis of the thoracic spine centered at T7-8. At this level, there is a central disc protrusion/disc osteophyte complex measuring approximately 4mm in AP dimension. This causes moderate spinal stenosis
with the AP dimension of the spinal canal measuring approximately 5-6 mm. There is no neural foraminal narrowing. The disc does abut the ventral surface of the spinal cord at this level; no abnormal signal intensity of the spinal canal is seen.

At T6-7, there is a small, 2 mm right paracentral disc protrusion. There is no neural foramen narrowing or spinal canal stenosis. The AP dimension of the spinal canal measures approximately 8mm.

At T9-10, there is a 1 mm right paracentral disc protrusion without evidence of spinal stenosis or neural foramen narrowing.

The remainder of the visualized thoracic disc spaces appears unremarkable.

IMPRESSION:
Focal kyphosis at T7-8 with a broad-based central disc protrusion causing moderate spinal stenosis at this level. The focal kyphosis causes a kink in the spinal cord best visualized on the sagittal T2 weighted images. No abnormal signal intensity of the spinal cord is present.
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replied July 8th, 2009
Active User, very eHealthy
Hi eugov the tough outer casing of the disc at the bottom of your neck has burst through the cartilage and into the adjacent vertebrae, this is your schmorl's node.

The kyphosis is an exaggerated curvature of your thoracic spine causing you to be hunched over in the shoulder area. At T7-8 roughly the mid point of your chest section there is a 4mm disc bulge protruding into your spinal canal which narrows it some, there are also osteophytes at this level which are small bony growths, the bulging disc is just touching the spinal cord.

At T6-7, there is a small disc bulge to the back right section of the disc, it does not touch any of the nerves.same thing at your T9-10 level.

They cant see any inflammation of your spinal cord.

Some may deny it but just because there is no significant compression of your nerves doesn't mean you wont get pain.

It might be a good idea to try and correct your kyphosis as its possible that this is the cause of your problems, but its a controversial subject. I would think that you are not a candidate for surgery at the moment as your MRI is not that bad, but please see any specialists that you are referred to they may have a different opinion and unlike me they have qualifications.

Good luck
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