mri scan of lumbar area

To know what a lumbar MRI shows, you can google "lumbar MRI" and click on "Images." Regarding asking the doctor to focus the MRI on a particular area, you're getting into the territory of second-guessing a doctor, and that can drag all kinds of irrelevancies into the conversation, besides insulting the doctor by making it look like you think looking up something on the Internet is better than his going to school for 8 years and practicing for however long afterwards.

It began as a sharp stabbing but has become a near constant ache over time. MRI and x-rays of my foot revealed nothing. NCV test also all appeared normal when checking for tarsal tunnel. It began affecting my low back/hip and legs about 6 months ago. I get sharp pains and some numbness around the area of my outer glutes/hamstrings. Spams in calf. Lateral outside foot pain is sometimes stabbing sometimes aching.

Hey Maizy, I am a physical therapist and treat a lot of spinal issues. I can say that calf, chest, and even arm pain can originate from dysfunction in the upper part of the spine. The more serious condition would be thoracic stenosis (central or canal stenosis). This would cause compression of the spinal cord and could cause any pain or weakness in the legs or arms. The more likely presentation would be leg "cramping" or burning pain, frequently in both legs with this.

Is this true? Is an MRI of the brain good enough, or do I need an MRI of the skull? also, would an MRI of the cervical spine show if the brain goes into the cerbellum?

in reference to inter cranial flow voids I found this info -Flow voids are normal. The method of excitement used to make single slice images of your brain gives the energy pulses twice at a given time frame. The moving blood leaves the area between pulses. The stationary tissue gives back energy that we call a echo and use this to make the picture. The blood does not give off this echo leaving dark signal voids in the picture.

I am awaiting diagnosis at the mo, but in suspected MS category as do have relapses but yet to show any lesions. They do MRI the lumbar for MS, spinal cord does go into that area, hence the lumbar puncture. I had my lumbar area checked.

I went in to the PCP today because my pain has gotten worse and this morning I lost control of my bowels. (I am still waiting to see the Chiari specialist.) She sent me over to the hospital for a CT scan and it came back "normal." I know that most people have MRIs and the Cine Flow MRI. Can a CT scan really be helpful? I was hoping she would get me a MRI of my spine since so far I've only had my brain looked at. She did give me gab for the pain.

I have had many tests, as I also have a herniated lumbar disc, facet joint arthropathy, old compression fracture of T-7, etc. I had a brain MRI that showed a lot of lesions that may be MS, and will be seeing a neurologist in April. My question is regarding a cervical MRI I had that showed "diffusely increased signal intensity of the C4 vertabra centrally. This has a most unusual appearance with near complete replacement of the central bone marrow.

For tethered cord, they can do a MRI of the lumbar spine, but it does not always show on a MRI so there r other ways to help determine TCS- a urodynamics test of the bladder, looking to see if u have a sacral dimple, or hairy patch, even an elongated brain stem can indicate TCS. A CINE MRI helps look at CSF flow so it is also known as a flow study. but a MRI of the thoracic and lumbar spine should be done to rule out syringomyelia as it can form in ne area of the spine.

The MRI was of the thoracic area. Not sure why he has scheduled the lumbar. Guessing he wants to see more.

This is the lumbar region, or at least it looks like the lumbar to me. In the lumbar region, the cord splits into something called the cauda equina - a bunch of nerves radiating out from the lowest part of the thoracic, that ennervates the lumbar area. The last place to have a spinal lesion in the back is the base of the cord, called the conus medullaris. That's located between the thoracic and the lumbar, about L1 or L2.

What nonsurgical options are there besides physical therapy and medication? As far as the mri of my lumbar area that is the only disc that was abnormal. And I really dont want to have fusion surgery since I did have ACDF C5-C7 last year August 2007 and have had problems post surgery.. They still havent diagnosed what is going on in my neck. I had 3 level fusion in my neck that apparently was my only option and I really dont want to have to resort to a fusion in my back..

I do have celiac disease dx 5 years ago, follow a strict gluten free diet, i also have Degenerative Disc Disease and (severe) Spinal Stenosis. I have had a Ct scan on my Cervical Area on only. I have seen 2 Neurologists who both couldn't find an answer. I recently seen a spine specialist, to consider surgery and he found my reflexes to be very hyperactive. I do have numbness and tingling in my arms and hands and sometimes my soles of my feet.

You need to get a bone scan or an MRI of your spine to find out what are those patches seen on the chest X-rays. To: eneffeneff: A facet Block is an injection of pain meds and steroids into the facet joint to relieve inflammation and pain. To: Teresa Cadena: Your report does not suggest any severe pinching our your nerves to account for your current symptoms. You may need to get nerve tests: EMG/NCS done.

MRI of the lumbar spine of the same date. TECHNIQUE: AP, bilateral oblique, and lateral radiographs were obtained There is a 2 mm of anerolisthesis of L4 on L5. The vertebral body heights are preserved. Moderate disc space narrowing and surrounding endplates sclerosis is seen at the L2-L3 level, as well as endplate ostephytosis. Loss of disc height is also seen but less pronounced at the L3-L4 level. Facet sclerosis and hypertrophy is seen at the L3-L4, L4-L5, and L5-S1 levels.

I had a bone scan of my entire body and a CAT scan of my cervical, lumbar, thoracic and pelvis. All areas have multiple lesions. My pelvis had 8 alone. No bulging disks or tethered cords. MRI of brain was fine. Complete spine and pelvis was fine other than lesions. Physician said its not a yeast infection. She origionally diagnosed it as bacterial vaginosis but is stumped why the meds are not treating it. I have taken Flagyl and Cleocin and the antibiotic for this.

The way I understand it is a CT scan shows finer detail that an MRI doesn't. I think the CT scan is good for small things like blood vessels and what your doctor was looking for. I do NOT know this for sure. I just remember hearing that an MRI looks at things in a different way than a CT scan. I would post this question under a new post so maybe others will see it and can answer. I have thought about seeing if there is a T3 in my area.

We have done CT Scan on her head, then muscle and nerve test on her arms and thighs, then MRI on her lumbar and thorracic area. They find a mass on her spine so she undergone operation and make a test on the mass and found out negative to be cancerous..She undergone operation again after her operation and thanks God all are clear.

After 8 years of pain I finally had an X-ray and MRI. The x-ray was read as normal, altough my PCP told me she thought the Ulna and Radius were far apart. The MRI came back as me having a Ganglion Cyst and also said " No evidence of fracture or bone marrow signal. Mild heterogeneity of the bone marrow of the lunate but without associated edema." When my Orthopedic doctor told me about the Ganglion Cyst he never mentioned the Lunate bone...

Mri scan of lumbar area

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