What Does This MRI Report Indicate?
Question: Ive had so much pain in my neck however I have had the nerves burned 2 times getting ready to do it agian..question is can I have a surgery that will fix it? Is it bad enough for that Im so tired of dealing with it.(This diagnostic report was migrated from a previous radiology system.)PATIENT NAME: XXXX
PATIENT DOB: 0000
DATE OF EXAM: 01/04/2013
REQUESTED BY: XXXXXXX XXXX, MD
EXAM: MRI CERVICAL SPINE WITHOUT CONTRAST
CLINICAL HISTORY: Neck pain, bilateral lower extremity weakness, bilateral shoulder pain, bilateral arm pain with numbness.
TECHNIQUE: MRI of the cervical spine is performed with sagittal T1, sagittal T2, axial 2D and 3D gradient images. There is some limitation due to patient motion on many of the sequences. Several of the sequences were repeated because of patient motion.
FINDINGS: The vertebral bodies are fairly well aligned and are normal in height and essentially normal in signal intensity throughout. There are mild disc degenerative changes throughout the cervical spine, greatest in the mid lower cervical levels.
Evaluation of the axial images reveals no gross canal or neural foraminal encroachment throughout the upper cervical levels.
At C4-C5 there is relatively mild lateral disc osteophyte complex bilaterally yielding mild degrees of foraminal encroachment bilaterally, slightly greater right than left.
At C5-C6 there is an asymmetric broad-based disc protrusion laterally toward the left with significant foraminal encroachment yielding moderate left foraminal encroachment. Overall, there is mild encroachment upon the canal and right neural foramen at this level.
At C6-C7 and C7-T1, there is no significant canal or neural foraminal encroachment appreciated. Of note, I did not appreciate any overt cord compression or abnormal cord signal throughout allowing for limitation.
IMPRESSION:
RELATIVELY MILD DISC DISEASE, THE GREATEST IN THE MID TO LOWER CERVICAL LEVELS AS ABOVE DESCRIBED WITH CANAL AND FORAMINAL ENCROACHMENTS AT THESE LEVELS ALL AS ABOVE DESCRIBED.
Thank you for this referral.
I thought this was a quick answer,,its been an hour
Im sorry I didnt get back with you on the above discussion..I was having problems with your page..all is good now..lol This has been going on over 5 years I was diagnosed with carpal tunnel and tarsal tunnel,,I have a lot of pain in my arms and mid upper back. I seen neurologist 2 different ones I went to pain management and after 2 years or so I quit going there..they gave me anything I wanted..pills patches..injections burning of the nerves 2 times, I decided it wasnt for me.. I had to take pills and have them in my system when ever they chose to check urine. I dont like to take pills all the time. Only when I needed to do something, the wait was unbearable,,however my family doc will only give me tramadol because of the overall drug war we have in our Country. I took Elevil 200 mg and flexril for pain and the elevil ( five years) just made me dumb founded and very forgetful..I tried other things in that line but the elevil worked best . Now I am only taking the flexril and tramadol..which isnt helping me as much as I like, Is there something else I can try that my doc would give that isnt so much a narcotic that could help me live life better. I have a new pain management doc whom only gives injections and said he doesnt like to do surgery on the neck because I am just setting myself up for more problems?? So I think I have done everything I could have..but not sure if doc thinks my neck is enough of a problem to have surgery. To me..a need a need one..lol So to you does it look like I should wait? Are my problems
coming from my neck? Thank you?
PATIENT DOB: 0000
DATE OF EXAM: 01/04/2013
REQUESTED BY: XXXXXXX XXXX, MD
EXAM: MRI CERVICAL SPINE WITHOUT CONTRAST
CLINICAL HISTORY: Neck pain, bilateral lower extremity weakness, bilateral shoulder pain, bilateral arm pain with numbness.
TECHNIQUE: MRI of the cervical spine is performed with sagittal T1, sagittal T2, axial 2D and 3D gradient images. There is some limitation due to patient motion on many of the sequences. Several of the sequences were repeated because of patient motion.
FINDINGS: The vertebral bodies are fairly well aligned and are normal in height and essentially normal in signal intensity throughout. There are mild disc degenerative changes throughout the cervical spine, greatest in the mid lower cervical levels.
Evaluation of the axial images reveals no gross canal or neural foraminal encroachment throughout the upper cervical levels.
At C4-C5 there is relatively mild lateral disc osteophyte complex bilaterally yielding mild degrees of foraminal encroachment bilaterally, slightly greater right than left.
At C5-C6 there is an asymmetric broad-based disc protrusion laterally toward the left with significant foraminal encroachment yielding moderate left foraminal encroachment. Overall, there is mild encroachment upon the canal and right neural foramen at this level.
At C6-C7 and C7-T1, there is no significant canal or neural foraminal encroachment appreciated. Of note, I did not appreciate any overt cord compression or abnormal cord signal throughout allowing for limitation.
IMPRESSION:
RELATIVELY MILD DISC DISEASE, THE GREATEST IN THE MID TO LOWER CERVICAL LEVELS AS ABOVE DESCRIBED WITH CANAL AND FORAMINAL ENCROACHMENTS AT THESE LEVELS ALL AS ABOVE DESCRIBED.
Thank you for this referral.
I thought this was a quick answer,,its been an hour
Im sorry I didnt get back with you on the above discussion..I was having problems with your page..all is good now..lol This has been going on over 5 years I was diagnosed with carpal tunnel and tarsal tunnel,,I have a lot of pain in my arms and mid upper back. I seen neurologist 2 different ones I went to pain management and after 2 years or so I quit going there..they gave me anything I wanted..pills patches..injections burning of the nerves 2 times, I decided it wasnt for me.. I had to take pills and have them in my system when ever they chose to check urine. I dont like to take pills all the time. Only when I needed to do something, the wait was unbearable,,however my family doc will only give me tramadol because of the overall drug war we have in our Country. I took Elevil 200 mg and flexril for pain and the elevil ( five years) just made me dumb founded and very forgetful..I tried other things in that line but the elevil worked best . Now I am only taking the flexril and tramadol..which isnt helping me as much as I like, Is there something else I can try that my doc would give that isnt so much a narcotic that could help me live life better. I have a new pain management doc whom only gives injections and said he doesnt like to do surgery on the neck because I am just setting myself up for more problems?? So I think I have done everything I could have..but not sure if doc thinks my neck is enough of a problem to have surgery. To me..a need a need one..lol So to you does it look like I should wait? Are my problems
coming from my neck? Thank you?
Brief Answer:
Other antineuralgic drugs.
Detailed Answer:
Welcome back.
Regarding to your symptoms and MRI findings, the main problems seem to arise from your cervical spine.
Carpal and tarsal tunnel syndromes, if diagnosis is correct, can be treated with a microsurgical procedure that is performed under local anesthesia, and should not cause any issues after.
Other antineuralgic drugs that you may use before to consider surgery and are not narcotics, include antidepressants ( Amytriptiline, duloxetine ), antiepileptics ( Gabapentin, Pregabalin ).
However, it is necessary to discuss with your treating Doctor about these issues.
Hope this helps.
Take care.
Other antineuralgic drugs.
Detailed Answer:
Welcome back.
Regarding to your symptoms and MRI findings, the main problems seem to arise from your cervical spine.
Carpal and tarsal tunnel syndromes, if diagnosis is correct, can be treated with a microsurgical procedure that is performed under local anesthesia, and should not cause any issues after.
Other antineuralgic drugs that you may use before to consider surgery and are not narcotics, include antidepressants ( Amytriptiline, duloxetine ), antiepileptics ( Gabapentin, Pregabalin ).
However, it is necessary to discuss with your treating Doctor about these issues.
Hope this helps.
Take care.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Remy Koshy