My MRI Report

So here’s the MRI report from Makati Med. Thankfully they were open on Sunday as we would never have had the time or even ability to go pick it up on a weekday. Just one of the many hurdles I want to write about that would point out perfectly avoidable issues if there was a non – paper electronic document system that could save and share these files over the ‘net. But anyway here it is:

General observations:

  1. Lordosis: Straightened.
  2. Alignment: Normal.

Vertebral observations

  1. Vertebral marrow: Normal.
  2. Posterior neural arch integrity: Intact.
  3. Cortical definition: Normal.
  4. Endplate definition: Modic II (fatty) changes are seen along the apposing surfaces of L5-S1.

Interspace observations

  1. Disc height/hydration: Decreased hydration signals are noted at L3-L4, L4-L5 and L5-S1 disc spaces.
  2. T12-L down to L2-L3: Normal discs.
  3. L3-L4: Mild disc bulge with central posterior annular tear.
  4. L4-L5: Disc bulge with superimposed right paracentral disc extrusion, effacing the right lateral recess and compressing the right descending L5 nerve roots. In combination with ligamentum flavum and bilateral facet joint hypertrophy, resulting to mild spinal canal, and mild bilateral neural foraminal stenosis. Small left paracentral annular tear is also seen.
  5. L5-S1: Mild disc bulge.

Spinal cord:

  • Conus medullaris: Ends normally at T12-L1.
  • Caudal roots: No abnormal signals.

Others:
There are several cortical and exophytic T2W hyperintensities in the visualized bilateral kidneys. The largest is in the right and measures 2.8 x 2.2 cm (APxW).
Non-specific, minimal bilateral perinephric fluid.

IMPRESSION:

  1. Straightened lumbar curvature.
  2. Lumbar spondylosis and degenerative disc disease.
  3. Mild disc bulge with central posterior annular tear at L3-L4.
  4. Disc bulge with superimposed right paracentral disc extrusion at L4-L5, effacing the right lateral recess and compressing the right descending L5 nerve roots. In combination with ligamentum flavum and bilateral facet joint hypertrophy, resulting to mild spinal canal, and mild bilateral neural foraminal stenosis. Small left paracentral annular tear also seen.
  5. Mild disc bulge at L5-S1.
  6. Probable bilateral renal cysts. Non-specific, minimal bilateral perinephric fluid.

So I managed to open the accompanying CD with the app that manages the images the MRI generated. My own Orthopedist was emailed a copy of this when I was confined in the hospital and showed me the properly annotated version of this report complete with colored areas where they found anomalies. The images below are ‘raw’ images meaning they don’t have any notes from any specialist whatsoever.

So here’s my spine (say Hi!!)

a

And here’s a zoomed in image of the L4 – L5 area where there’s a noticeable bulge.

herniated disc

Here’s another view:

herniated disc

The app comes with 4 sections, I only chose the first one on the upper left. I DON’T KNOW HOW TO INTERPRET ANY OF THEM. I AM NOT A DOCTOR SO IF YOU ARE EXPERIENCING THE SAME THING AND HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ASK YOUR DOCTOR FIRST. 

herniated disc

There’s also a part that says ‘Probable bilateral renal cysts’, which my nephrologist had already pointed out previously. He told me these are perfectly normal for people my age and is nothing to worry about. In the light of the fact I may be facing possible kidney disease however, he would have wanted me to take a kidney biopsy. But the fact I had these cysts is keeping him from recommending it because a biopsy may hit a cyst and things could get unnecessarily worse from there. So he’s happy with using other tests instead.

But anyway, the issue here is my back. I am going to give my Orthopedist a copy of this because he’s asking for it, but to date he hasn’t given me a possible date for the surgery yet.