
What Do These MRI Findings Indicate?

You need an examination
Detailed Answer:
Whether or not your MRI findings can be connected to traumatic back injuries often depends on the evolution of your symptoms following each injury as well as the medical evidence (findings by CT, MRI, or X-rays) which would've been taken after each of the reported injuries that could support what's going on NOW in terms of the spinal cysts you are referring.
If you can upload either the MRI films themselves or the report then, that would be helpful.
Spinal column cysts are not necessarily due to trauma so again their connection to work injuries is contingent upon much more information that can only be obtained through examination and more detailed history by the specialist examining you. There are a number of categories of spinal cysts which is just a general term. The radiologist should be able to be more precise with the diagnosis as to WHICH TYPE of cyst they are looking at because that will often determine the most likely mechanism of how it developed.
Examples of different cysts are Synovial, Arachnoid, Tarlov, extramedullary, and there are many more. The most common are SYNOVIAL but these develop as a result of aging and normal degenerative/wearing away phenomenon. Formation of a traumatic synovial cyst in the spine is rather rare.
I hope this addresses your concerns and that you will keep me in mind for future queries and questions regarding these or other neurological/medical issues that I may be able to help resolve.
Write to me at: XXXX for additional comments, concerns, or to provide status updates if this possible.
This consult request has taken a total of 13 minutes of time to read, research, and envoy as a response to the patient.


Perhaps I misunderstood but I thought you had an MRI done
Detailed Answer:
My apologies if I misinterpreted your writing but it appeared as if you had already received an MRI and by virtue of that study were informed of the spinal cysts. Or are you trying to write SYNOVIAL cysts? Now, that I'm looking at the word you typed I suppose it could either have been SPINAL or SYNOVIAL.
The word you wrote doesn't really exist...(even if it's written in the report- it would be a typo). If it turns out that the cysts are SYNOVIAL in specific type then, trauma as a cause will be extremely difficult to tease out from normal wear and tear types of pictures since most often, synovial cysts occur WITHOUT SYMPTOMS and in patients who have no other type of problem or history of otherwise excessively strenuous work, exercise, or trauma to the joints under consideration.
Write to me at: bit.ly/drdariushsaghafi for additional comments, concerns, or to provide status updates if this possible. I would appreciate your rating of this interaction on a HIGH STAR SCALE if you find it helpful or informative related to your condition and would very much appreciate a few words related to feedback that you'd like to express in whatever light you wish to express yourself.
This consult request has taken a total of 31 minutes of time to read, research, and envoy as a response to the patient.


Trauma can contribute to the formation of spinal synovial cysts BUT....
Detailed Answer:
Thanks for the clarification. Once again, the frequency of synovial cysts in the spine being a direct cause of low back pain itself is thought to be rare according to the literature. Trauma is felt to be a possible contributing factor in their development but that can only be concluded if imaging studies find the presence of blood products at the site of the cysts themselves AND clinical symptoms can be correlated to the injury along a timeline that is known. Drawing conclusions after the fact becomes a much more difficult proposition when it comes to PROVING that a cyst which formed is linked to back pain or disability.
Making the call of traumatic vs. nontraumatic cyst formation is highly dependent upon the expertise and diligence of the radiologist reading the study who needs to look for microscopic amounts of hemosiderin which accumulate in the synovial cyst itself (especially if trauma is repeated) but not only that but they will need to know how to go about TIMING when those blood byproducts likely came about.
Again, a clear timeline of history of injury would be necessary to draw such conclusions.
If no such findings can be made then, the presence of the synovial cysts are believed to be most likely based upon degenerative wear and tear of the cord and/or column at the spinal levels affected (L4/L5/S1 are the most frequently seen joints with these defects). Pain present at those levels also may or may not be attributable to the cysts and depends upon examination results and the history.
If at some point you do end up getting final results from the report and you'd like me to comment on the radiologist's read then, please feel free to open another query and upload that document. If you also had the sequence of images of the spine as well and could put those in an uploaded format that would even be more awesome.
Write to me at: bit.ly/drdariushsaghafi for additional comments, concerns, or to provide status updates if possible. I would appreciate your rating of this interaction on a HIGH STAR SCALE if you find it helpful or informative related to your condition and would very much appreciate a few words related to feedback that you'd like to express in whatever light you wish to express yourself.
This consult request has taken a total of 65 minutes of time to read, research, and envoy as a response to the patient.


Glad to make your acquaintance Doctor
Detailed Answer:
Thank you for the return message. I'm not terribly surprised of your being a doctor since I've answered questions for numerous colleagues around the globe. This is a different world we live in these days. It's nice to know that another colleague may find one's professional opinion of value. I wish you well.
Perhaps, if there are no further comments or questions may I ask your favor in closing the query on your end and leaving just a few comments on our interaction? Your rating of as many STARS as possible is greatly appreciated and I wish you well in getting better sir.
This consult request has taken a total of 72 minutes of time to read, research, and envoy as a response to the patient.

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