Back Pain Forum - Explaining Spondylosis and Help Reading an MRI

Conditions and Diseases > Back Pain Forum > Explaining Spondylosis and Help Reading an MRI

What structures make up the spine? We review basic spine anatomy here...before identifying potential causes of back pain....

Q: Explaining Spondylosis and Help Reading an MRI

asked by: DoctorQuestion on March 11th, 2006

I have severe lumabr back pain and my mri results are in. My doctor took some time off and I dont have another doctor. I want to know if some 1 can tell me what the MRI reults mean. I would like to do the limited daily things I do now, I can increase pain meds dose to try to live free of pain. I dont want to hurt myself more if there is an injury to my lower back. Maybe these results say something is wrong or not? If you could please read and evaluate... I need to know what to do for the next week or 2 before I can see my doctor. TYVM..

Indications: bilateral radiculopathy with numbness.

Magnetic resonance imaging of the lumbar spine was performed with multiple sequences through the lumbar spine in multiple planes.

There are moderate hypertrophic degenerative changes of the facet joints throughout the lumbar spine. The vertebral bodies are normal. There is straightening of lordosis. There is no spondylolisthesis. Intervertebral disc heights are will maintained. There is no paraspinal mass. The conus medullaris is normal.

At l4-5 a minimal broad anular bulge is more prominent towards the left. It abuts the exiting right l5 nerve. The left l5 nerve exits uncompromised. The bulge does not displace or cause right l5 nerve impingement. There is no significant foraminal or spinal canal stenosis at this level or elsewhere in the lumbar spine.

Impression
1. Moderate facet joint arthrosis in the lumbar spine.
2. Straightening of lordosis may be secondary to muscle spasm or back pain.
3. Anular bulge at l5-s1 abuts but does not displace right l5 nerve.
4. No evidence of left-side nerve root compromise.

Replies(1)

Dr. Nikola Gjuzelov , MD

replied on April 1st, 2006

Back Pain Answer A613

According to your MRI report it seems that you are suffering from a degenerative spinal disease called spondylosis. Spondylosis affects the intervertebral joints, as well as the discs and ligaments of the vertebral column. Spondylotic changes can manifest as protrusions of the vertebral discs or degeneration. During spondylosis, the vertebral bones can fuse (osteofits), the ligaments may begin to harden (ossification), or sufferers may experience stiffness in the vertebral joints. Other signs and symptoms can include stenosis of the intervertebral foramina and vertebral canal or spinal deformations such as lordosis, scoliosis, kifosis and spondilolistesis. All these changes disturb the static nature of the vertebral spine and can provoke muscle spasms. Muscle spasms cause back pain. Pain can be also caused by pressure on the roots of the spinal nerves (radiculopatia). According to the MRI report it seems that you aren't experiencing great spondylotic changes; back pain can be caused by spasms of the vertebral muscles.

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