To whom it may concern,
I'm a 32 year old female who has been suffering from back pain for the last 2 years. I recently had a lumbar MRI after having an xray and the scan where they check for scoliosis and it's degree. The xray came back normal, the scan for scoliosis showed thoracic curve to the right at 13 degrees and lumbar curve to the right at 12 degrees. The lumbar MRI report just came in and I'm wondering why there is so much confusion as to what's going on with me as well as why would I need to be referred to a spine specialist. Any help would be most appreciated. Thank you! Here is a copy of my lumbar MRI.
Clinical History: Low back pain with recent diagnosis of scoliosis. Technique: MRI of the lumbar spine was performed utilizing a 1.0 Tesla open Phillips magnet without the administration of gadolinium contrast. Comparison: Radiographs of the lumbar spine on 4/29/2013. Comments: Vertebral body heights and anatomic alignment are preserved. No scoliotic curvature is identified in the lumbar spine on the current exam or the prior radiographs. Hemangiomas are present in all three and the sacrum. No focus of suspicious bone marrow signal alteration is identified. Disc signal and disc heights are preserved. The conus terminates normal in signal, position and
caliber. The central canal is patent throughout the lumbar spine. At L4/5 there is a disc bulge asymmetric to the left that extends into the left neural foramen and impinges upon the exiting left L4 nerve root causing mild left L4 neural foraminal stenosis. The central canal and right neural foramen are patent. There is mild thickening of the ligamentum flavum bilaterally measuring up to 6.5 mm. The remainder of the exam is otherwise within normal limits. Impression: 1. Mild degenerative changes at L4/5 as detailed above. 2. Not mentioned above are extrarenal pelves in the kidneys which are normal anatomic variance. lkv