Cervical Spine MRI pics - input pls?

[art4u]

Hi there - after much pain etc for 6 months, had an xray in August and got results...(see just below at bottom) and finally got in for my MRI Nov. 12 - still haven't got the report but did get a disc to review on my own.

Still suffering from lack of range of motion in neck, pain, numbness in hands and now going through arms with tingles etc.

Still waiting to see neurologist etc.

I have attached some pics that I am curious about if anyone would like to make comments on...I understand that we aren't docs, but alot of you are experts on your spine mri's!

From what I can tell I have discs that have spurs both anteriorly and posteriorly and have a ruptured disc and some anterolisthesis...

BUT in the 3rd and 4th pic, what is the big nodule on my back (I have seen mri videos that say that area is "fat" but it is usually just white, but I am 5'10" and only 150 and in great shape so don't have big gobs of fat there) and what is with all the black lines (nerves, blood?) and those same lines in csf just opposite to it??

Any other observations and guesses would be much appreciated!!

thanks so much!

*Severe degenerative disc disease with endplate spurring and loss of disc space at C5-6 and C6-7.
*Advanced degenerative facet arthrosis at C-4 and C4-5 with 3mm of anterolishesis of c4 on c5 secondary to degenerative facet arthrosis.
*Uncovertebral spurring and facet arthrosis contributes to moderate neuroforaminal stenosis at C3-4, C5-6 and C6-7 worse on left than right.

[mmglobal]

Images are VERY dark... can't see much.

Check your PM's

Mark

[dshobbies]

Hi art4u,

Welcome to the forum though I am sorry you find the need to be here. Even with my limited experience, I can see your films are dark but perhaps the radioligist can see what's wrong.

If you don't like what he has to say, you might consider getting another MRI though your insurance company might have a say in that.

Regardless, when you get the report, please keep us posted. We're here to help you.

Dale

[art4u]

Hi everyone...

sorry about the darkness of the mri pics that I attached - I pulled them from the disc I received and probably didn't have the right brightness...

BUT MRI results are in...

Have almost a full pic (so to speak with xray/mri now in - xray results posted further down in the original posting) of what is going on in my cervical spine - lots of numbing in hand and arm and pins and needles and increasing loss of range of motion in neck with tons of pain - still waiting to get in to see neurologist or NS for ....

but in the meantime for those of you that have severe ddd and have been told the following - do you have similar stories and could you share with me what your prognosis was/is?
MRI findings...
Degenerative endplate modic type endplate signal changes and endplate spurring noted C5-6 and C6-7. Degenerative signal loss and height loss is noted within the intravertebral discs most severe at C56 and c6-7.

c4-5 - right neural foramina is narrowed to moderate degree.
c5-6 - disk is largely degenerative. Broad based post. disc osteophyte present - no focal protusion/herniation. Effacement of csf anterior to the cord
but no signal changes in cord. Moderate bilateral uncovertebral
degenerative changes.
c6-7 - disk is largely degenerative. Broad based post. disc osteophyte present -
Broad based post. disc osteophyte present - no focal
protusion/herniation. Effacement of csf anterior to the cord
but no signal changes in cord. Moderate bilateral uncovertebral
degenerative changes.

[mmglobal]

If your MRI is packaged with efilm, you can right click and move the mouse up and down for brightness, left and right for contrast.

You MRI reports reads like.... could be completely asymptomatic... could be highly symptomatic... kind of a Rorschach test for spine surgeons.

Mark