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L5-s1
Please help with mri results. Also can this cause extreme pain in foot.
S1 segment is partially lumbarized with 5 additional nonrib-bearing lumbar type vertebral segments. Last rib-bearing segment labeled as T12. Conus medullaris terminates at L1 with no abnormal intramedullary signal alteration. Moderate endplate degenerative marrow space findings at L5-S1. No discitis osteomyelitis lumbar spine. Common bile duct measures approximately 0.7 cm. This desiccation at L3-L4 through L5-S1.
At T12-L1, no disc bulge, spinal canal stenosis, or neural foraminal stenosis.
At L1-L2, no disc bulge, spinal canal stenosis, or neural foraminal stenosis.
At L2-L3, no disc bulge, spinal canal stenosis, or neural foraminal stenosis.
At L3-L4, no neural foraminal stenosis or spinal canal stenosis. Posterior disc bulge (2 mm AP).
At L4-L5, mild disc height loss. No neural foraminal stenosis. No spinal canal stenosis. Posterior disc bulge (3 mm AP). Mild bilateral facet arthropathy.
At L5-S1, moderate disc height loss. Mild left neural foraminal stenosis. Moderate right neural foraminal stenosis. No significant spinal canal stenosis. Mild/moderate bilateral facet arthropathy. Broad-based posterior disc osteophyte complex (4 mm AP) with finding extending into the bilateral neural foramen.
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@justbec2004 Welcome to Connect. This imaging describes some issues in the lumbar spine where there are 5 lumbar vertebrae numbered from just below the rib cage to the sacrum. L5 S1 is the disc that joins the lumbar spine to the sacrum (S1) which is part of the pelvis. Essentially, the sacrum is a set of fused vertebrae. When there is loss of disc height, it puts more pressure on the facet joints (that allow spine to twist) and causes some arthritis there. The foramen are the spaces between vertebrae where the nerves exit the spinal cord and stenosis there narrows that space usually with some arthritic bone growth. Stenosis can also occur in the central canal where the spinal cord is. This describes stenosis at the nerve exits between L5 and S1 and bone spurs with a disc bulge pressing 4 mm into the foramen. When a disc ruptures, the inflammation causes bone growth as is happening there. There is also a mild disc bulge at L4 L5 and at L3 L4.
When do you see your doctor to follow up on this report?
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1 ReactionI have been to 2 different doctors and they want to do a spinal fusion. My right foot hurts so bad to walk on it and was wondering if this was coming from my back. No one can tell me and I really don't want a fusion if possible.
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1 Reactionjustbec2004, looks like its the osteophyte complex at L5-S1. Foot pain from this source, yes. You might consult a minimally invasive spine surgeon or several. It might be possible to remove that disc spur complex. It is the disc spur invading 4mm into the foramen. These spurs can occur alongside disc bulges. https://drtonymork.com/
https://www.excelspine.com/ dr choll offers a free review of the mri, there are a number of minimally invasive spine surgeons who offer free online reviews.
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1 ReactionHow can I get my mri pictures to him to look at or can I tell him where I had it and he can request them? I am at my wits end with the pain. Has been doing on since April with no relief and no help from doctors
The radiology lab where you had the scans will print copies for you. Call them because they need a release of information form and will want your ID, which you might be able to do by phone. Some labs will send them and some may have the capacity to share the images online. I usually fed ex mine to the doctors because I'm usually in a hurry. I'd get CDs of the MRI and paper copies of the reports. You can give the labs a release for Usually you can pick up the CDs same day or next day and overnight or slower mail.
Those disc spurs are sharp little things and they stab at the nerves as they exit. You might get some relief from a medial branch block or medial branch radiofrequency. With fusion they would, of course, remove the spurs. How many levels are they suggesting fusing.
The normal facet space is 2-4 mm, so this is a spur large enough significantly reduce the space for the nerve.
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1 ReactionThank you for your help. They want to fuse L5-S1.
I would just like to know if that is going to take the pain in my foot away.
I took care of my pain in the whole leg and foot. 4 month out from surgery and feel great. Just a sore lower back. Make sure you get a good neurosurgeon. I had the disk replaced
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2 Reactionshttps://www.adrspine.com/insights/i5-s1-disc-replacement-success-rate
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1 ReactionIf you scheduled a nerve block on the right, it would give you some certainty and space to decide. The nerve block is just an injection of a numbing agent like lidocaine and a corticosteroid. It's a fairly simple procedure but has to be done with imaging usually fluoroscopy through a pain clinic.
I suggest this partly because you are understandably in a hurry to get rid of this pain.
Usually these osteophytes develop because there is excessive movement in a joint. At L5-S1 it complicates the movement of the vertebra above.
An artificial disc would preserve motion and the lumbar discs above.
It is harder to make these decisions while you are in pain.
I do think fusion, an artificial disc, or osteophyte surgery would take the pain away. I also think that a nerve block would work in a temporary way. But, I'm not a medical person.
Bless your struggle. Keep posting.
A chiropractor might be able to perform a palliative manipulation.
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1 ReactionThey did try 2 epidurals but didn't work. The chiropractor told me he couldn't help me anymore