Sign-in to Ask A Doctor - 24x7
OR
Sign in with Google
What Does The MRI Scan Report Of My Cervical Spine Indicate?
Question: Can you interpret this report for me, please? MRI of the cervical Spine.
History: Neck pain and radiculopathy
Comparison: NONE
Technique: Multisequential and multi planar images of cervical spine were submitted for review without contrast.
Findings: The cord is normal in caliber and signal. There is no cerebellar ectopia. The alignment of the cervical spine is within normal limits. There is normal bona marrow signal demonstrated throughout the cervical spine.
C2-C3: No disc bulge, no mass effect on the cord or neural foramina narrowing.
C3-C4: No disc bulge, no mass effect on the cord or neural foramina narrowing.
C4-C5: Broad-based disc bulge with no mass effect on the cord. There is uncovertebral hypertrophy with moderate right and mild left neuroforaminal narrowing.
C5-C6: Broad-based disc bulge with no mass effect on the cord. There is uncovertebral hypertrophy with moderate to severe bilateral neuroforaminal narrowing.
C6-C7: Broad-based disc bulge with no mass effect on the cord. There is uncovertebral hypertrophy with moderate right and moderate to severe left neuroforaminal narrowing.
C7-T1: No disc bulge, no mass effect on the cord or neural foramina narrowing.
T1-T4: Evaluated on sagittal images only. No disc bulge, mass effect on the cord or neuroforaminal narrowing.
Please advice on what I should do about it. At times I have felt numbness in face along with a feeling of a "heavy" head. Was not advised by doctor but I have been using a neck brace and it reliefs pain and pressure.
History: Neck pain and radiculopathy
Comparison: NONE
Technique: Multisequential and multi planar images of cervical spine were submitted for review without contrast.
Findings: The cord is normal in caliber and signal. There is no cerebellar ectopia. The alignment of the cervical spine is within normal limits. There is normal bona marrow signal demonstrated throughout the cervical spine.
C2-C3: No disc bulge, no mass effect on the cord or neural foramina narrowing.
C3-C4: No disc bulge, no mass effect on the cord or neural foramina narrowing.
C4-C5: Broad-based disc bulge with no mass effect on the cord. There is uncovertebral hypertrophy with moderate right and mild left neuroforaminal narrowing.
C5-C6: Broad-based disc bulge with no mass effect on the cord. There is uncovertebral hypertrophy with moderate to severe bilateral neuroforaminal narrowing.
C6-C7: Broad-based disc bulge with no mass effect on the cord. There is uncovertebral hypertrophy with moderate right and moderate to severe left neuroforaminal narrowing.
C7-T1: No disc bulge, no mass effect on the cord or neural foramina narrowing.
T1-T4: Evaluated on sagittal images only. No disc bulge, mass effect on the cord or neuroforaminal narrowing.
Please advice on what I should do about it. At times I have felt numbness in face along with a feeling of a "heavy" head. Was not advised by doctor but I have been using a neck brace and it reliefs pain and pressure.
Brief Answer:
Your MRI shows degenerative arthritis mainly at C5-C6 level
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Thanks for your query.
I'm Dr. Sudhir Kumar,
I have studied your MRI report including screen shot images and medical history in detailed.
After going through these I concluded that you are having uncovertebral hypertrophy mainly involved C5- C6 level with moderate to severe bilateral neuroforaminal (holes through which nerves came out from cord) narrowing, there is also changes at C6-C7 level and some effect at C4-C5 level. These are degenerative changes related to aging.
Also known as Joints of Luschka, the uncovertbral joints are present from C3 to C7. They are rudimentary at birth and develop and evolve with age. The lateral aspects of the vertebral bodies have superior projections know as the uncinate process. As the intervertbral discs become degenerative, these projections approximate with the body of the next highest vertebra resulting in degenerative joint changes and forming the uncovertbral joints.Osteophytes on the uncinate process resulting from uncovertebral arthrosis may compress both the spinal nerve root and the vertebral artery as they pass through the intervertebral and transverse foramina, respectively.
Broad-based disc bulge (intervertibral disc coming out from its place) is there at C4-C5, C5-C6 and C6-C7 level. But no mass effect (pressure) is there on the cord at any level.
These changes explain your neck pains with related headaches and numbness in shoulders down the hands.
But as there is no mass effect on cord so it doesn't explain symptoms in legs and fatigue and weakness throughout body.
As you are young and it doesn't explain some of your symptoms so I suggest you to go through some of tests specially vitamin D3 level as I thought vitaminD3 deficiency may be causing this. You may go through following tests:-
1.Vitamin D test
2.Vitamin B12 test
3.Thyroid function test (T3,T4,TSH)
4.Blood sugar fasting and PP for Diabetes.
Furthermore I treat such persons coming to my clinic empirically by Diacerine, Glucosamine and Mecobalamine. Vitamin D3 is given if it is low. Analgesic such as ibuprofen is given for pain relief. Neck exercises are useful. You can continue with neck brace. You are advised not to use pillow while sleeping or use a thin pillow. You can discuss with your treating Doctor about it.
Hope I have answered your query.
If you have any further questions I will be happy to help.
Wishing you good health
Take care.
For future query, you can also directly approach me through my profile URL https://www.bit.ly/askdrsudhirortho
Your MRI shows degenerative arthritis mainly at C5-C6 level
Detailed Answer:
Hi,
Thanks for your query.
I'm Dr. Sudhir Kumar,
I have studied your MRI report including screen shot images and medical history in detailed.
After going through these I concluded that you are having uncovertebral hypertrophy mainly involved C5- C6 level with moderate to severe bilateral neuroforaminal (holes through which nerves came out from cord) narrowing, there is also changes at C6-C7 level and some effect at C4-C5 level. These are degenerative changes related to aging.
Also known as Joints of Luschka, the uncovertbral joints are present from C3 to C7. They are rudimentary at birth and develop and evolve with age. The lateral aspects of the vertebral bodies have superior projections know as the uncinate process. As the intervertbral discs become degenerative, these projections approximate with the body of the next highest vertebra resulting in degenerative joint changes and forming the uncovertbral joints.Osteophytes on the uncinate process resulting from uncovertebral arthrosis may compress both the spinal nerve root and the vertebral artery as they pass through the intervertebral and transverse foramina, respectively.
Broad-based disc bulge (intervertibral disc coming out from its place) is there at C4-C5, C5-C6 and C6-C7 level. But no mass effect (pressure) is there on the cord at any level.
These changes explain your neck pains with related headaches and numbness in shoulders down the hands.
But as there is no mass effect on cord so it doesn't explain symptoms in legs and fatigue and weakness throughout body.
As you are young and it doesn't explain some of your symptoms so I suggest you to go through some of tests specially vitamin D3 level as I thought vitaminD3 deficiency may be causing this. You may go through following tests:-
1.Vitamin D test
2.Vitamin B12 test
3.Thyroid function test (T3,T4,TSH)
4.Blood sugar fasting and PP for Diabetes.
Furthermore I treat such persons coming to my clinic empirically by Diacerine, Glucosamine and Mecobalamine. Vitamin D3 is given if it is low. Analgesic such as ibuprofen is given for pain relief. Neck exercises are useful. You can continue with neck brace. You are advised not to use pillow while sleeping or use a thin pillow. You can discuss with your treating Doctor about it.
Hope I have answered your query.
If you have any further questions I will be happy to help.
Wishing you good health
Take care.
For future query, you can also directly approach me through my profile URL https://www.bit.ly/askdrsudhirortho
Note: For further queries, consult a joint and bone specialist, an Orthopaedic surgeon. Book a Call now.
Above answer was peer-reviewed by :
Dr. Bhagyalaxmi Nalaparaju
Answered by
Get personalised answers from verified doctor in minutes across 80+ specialties
