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CCI / AAI? My MRI Images - Supine

Seven7

Seven
Messages
3,444
Location
USA
Can somebody help me read this? I will see my doctor but Want to make sure to ask the right questions.
Pic 1.jpg
Pic 2.jpg
 

Seven7

Seven
Messages
3,444
Location
USA
Hi @Seven (formerly lnester7) -
You appear to have a disc herniating into your spinal canal,
completely blocking your anterior CSF flow as well as compressing your spinal cord anteriorly. You also appear to have disc disease and bone spurs at every level of your cervical spine.
There appear to be multiple areas of mechanical impingement on your neural tissues.
Thank you So much!!!
You also appear to have disc disease and bone spurs at every level of your cervical spine. I never heard of this, do you have an idea of why or what is called so I can google further.
There appear to be multiple areas of mechanical impingement on your neural tissues Do you know who I could ask or go to for this? Or what could it mean for my case? Can you please elaborate?
 

gbells

Improved ME from 2 to 6
Messages
1,491
Location
Alexandria, VA USA
Hi @Seven (formerly lnester7) -

You appear to have a disc herniating into your spinal canal, completely blocking your anterior CSF flow as well as compressing your spinal cord anteriorly. You also appear to have disc disease and bone spurs at every level of your cervical spine.

There appear to be multiple areas of mechanical impingement on your neural tissues.

Mild spinal stenosis from degenerative disk disease isn't causing his problems. The symptoms are completely different. I'm more concerned about the large black area under his brain on the right side. and behind the brain on the lateral view. There is a large indentation on the lateral view. That is worrisome.
 

valentinelynx

Senior Member
Messages
1,310
Location
Tucson
I'm more concerned about the large black area under his brain on the right side.

I think you're just seeing the air space from the oropharynx on the coronal view. The cut is through the middle of the body and head. I don't see a large black area on the sagittal (lateral) view. If you look at normal MRIs you will see they look similar.

There is spinal stenosis at C4/5 from a herniated disc. It is Grade 2 (some deformity of the spinal cord with no "signal change", see here for reference). Signal change is a sign of myelopathy (inflammation of the cord). Many people have spinal stenosis without symptoms, but symptoms of neck pain, hand weakness or clumsiness, shoulder numbness or weakness, gait disturbances or bowel or bladder issues are possible).

These images don't show whether there's any impingement on exiting nerve roots. You need the whole MRI, so you can scroll through the sagittal (sliced down the middle through the nose) from side to side to see that, or the axial images (sliced from front to back every few millimeters down the body from top to bottom) to see that.

Caveat: I'm not a radiologist or neurosurgeon. To further investigate problems related to spinal stenosis and degenerative spine disease you can see a spine pain specialist (if you have pain) or a neurosurgeon (for pain, numbness, gait issues, etc.).
 

borko2100

Senior Member
Messages
160
This person had his CFS cured after surgery to fix spinal stenosis. It looks similar to yours. Even though there is no guarantee that that's the cause of your symptoms, it is possibile.

12967_2018_1397_Fig1_HTML.jpg


Source:

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29391028

PS: After looking at your MRI again, I noticed there's a slight curvature of your spinal cord at the level of the herniation. It seems like the disc is pushing your spinal cord and is deforming its shape. Maybe you should send your MRI's to dr. Rowe who wrote the abovementioned study, he could give you a more expert opinion..

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Seven7

Seven
Messages
3,444
Location
USA
ok Here is my report and I have no idea what it means = At C5-C6 Level, There is right protrusion/Osteophyte complex, causing mild compression on the right ventral sac surface and flattening of right ventral cord surface

I know we are to ignore the written report but Added for now,
 

valentinelynx

Senior Member
Messages
1,310
Location
Tucson
ok Here is my report and I have no idea what it means = At C5-C6 Level, There is right protrusion/Osteophyte complex, causing mild compression on the right ventral sac surface and flattening of right ventral cord surface

I know we are to ignore the written report but Added for now,

Yes, it is C5/6 not C4/5 as I mistakenly said, sorry about that. I'll interpret the reading for you: "right protrusion/Osteophyte complex" means that there's a bony mass (often called a "bone spur"—these develop with age) coming off of the disc and vertebra and pressing slightly on the front (ventral) surface of the spinal cord's sac, causing some flattening of the cord's surface on the front (the aspect pointing towards your front).

There's no need to ignore the written report regarding the cervical levels below the base of the skull. This is an accurate representation of the imaging. However, the reading needs to be correlated with your clinical experience. Your pain, numbness and gait problems might be related to the cervical spinal stenosis. Do you also have back pain or leg symptoms? If so, you could also benefit from a lumbar MRI.

The thing about ignoring the written report is that you can't expect most radiologists, or spine specialists (these can be from many specialties: neurosurgery, neurology, pain medicine, PM&R) to know what to look for regarding CCI or AAI. These latter specialists, however, could help you find out what's going on with your cervical spine.
 

Seven7

Seven
Messages
3,444
Location
USA
@valentinelynx Thank you this is so helpful, my main concern is pressure on the head, and “spills episodes “ I ahve. So I am wondering if this can cause cranial pressure at all or the Neuro symptoms I have ( bizare random ones) I have a lot of weakness on my left hand, I drop stuff a lot ( grip issues )