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What Does "early Degenerative Changes Of The L3-L4 And L4-L5" Mean?
Early degenerative changes of the L3-L4 and L4-L5 lumbar intervertebral disks.
There is a broad disc bulge at the L4-L5 level. This has a more focal left lateral
component which does enter the L4-L5 foramen and causing moderate indentation of
the left L4 nerve root at this site. The right foramina are within normal limits.
Above this level thecal sac is quite normal in outline. When comparison is made
with previous examination of 6 months ago the disc extending into the left L4-L5
foramen is currently slightly larger. No other new finding.
Comments
Moderate compression of the left L4 nerve root within the foramen by laterally
placed disc which is increased slightly in size in comparison to the previous study
of 6 months ago. Broad disc bulge L4-L5 causing mild thecal sac distortion and
indentation. No other significant compressive abnormalities seen.
What does it all mean?
Thanks
There is a broad disc bulge at the L4-L5 level. This has a more focal left lateral
component which does enter the L4-L5 foramen and causing moderate indentation of
the left L4 nerve root at this site. The right foramina are within normal limits.
Above this level thecal sac is quite normal in outline. When comparison is made
with previous examination of 6 months ago the disc extending into the left L4-L5
foramen is currently slightly larger. No other new finding.
Comments
Moderate compression of the left L4 nerve root within the foramen by laterally
placed disc which is increased slightly in size in comparison to the previous study
of 6 months ago. Broad disc bulge L4-L5 causing mild thecal sac distortion and
indentation. No other significant compressive abnormalities seen.
What does it all mean?
Thanks
Tue, 29 Apr 2014
Hello and welcome to HCM,
The degenerative changes in the intervertebral discs is the degeneration of the nucleus pulposus.
Nucleus pulposus is the gelatinous substance present in between the intervertebral discs.
Degeneration leads to liquefaction of nucleus pulposus and its protrusion into the surrounding space.
The spinal cord has multiple nerve roots emanating from spinal cord at different levels.
Protrusion of nucleus pulposus leads to compression of the surrounding nerve and thus the symptoms.
This is what is happening at your vertebrae at the thoracic level L3-L4 and L4-L5.
Treatment is initially conservative- rest and pain killers.
If the conservative measures fail, surgical measures are done- excision of the prolapsed nucleus pulposus.
Thanks and take care
Dr Shailja P Wahal
The degenerative changes in the intervertebral discs is the degeneration of the nucleus pulposus.
Nucleus pulposus is the gelatinous substance present in between the intervertebral discs.
Degeneration leads to liquefaction of nucleus pulposus and its protrusion into the surrounding space.
The spinal cord has multiple nerve roots emanating from spinal cord at different levels.
Protrusion of nucleus pulposus leads to compression of the surrounding nerve and thus the symptoms.
This is what is happening at your vertebrae at the thoracic level L3-L4 and L4-L5.
Treatment is initially conservative- rest and pain killers.
If the conservative measures fail, surgical measures are done- excision of the prolapsed nucleus pulposus.
Thanks and take care
Dr Shailja P Wahal
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