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MRI Cervical Spine

Hi there! I hope someone can help me here =)

My name is Kara and I am 20 years old.  When I was 16 I had 2 serious fainting spells when something clicked in my neck and caused pain in my neck and back. I had always had pain problems with my back but my parents and I thought it was due to me doing Ballet growing up. When the fainting started they took me to a doctor. He gave his diagnosis and then I had a MRI scan. I was young at the time so didn’t really see the seriousness of it and my parents couldn’t afford a follow up scan. I took medication (cataflam mostly for the pain if it was serious) and I stopped Ballet lessons and then stopped basketball as well.  The problems with my back stopped then and has been ok for the past few years. Now however, it has started up again and won’t seem to go away even with rest and cataflam. I now have the means of getting an MRI again but I wanted to know if anyone can explain the previous one now that I am older and can understand it better. Here is what it says on the report:
At my first examination the doctor found that I was “otherwise perfectly healthy with no cardiovascular symptoms and no symptoms of neurological dysfunction.

MRI Findings:
Subtle loss of normal cervical lordosis with otherwise satisfactory alignment of the vertebral bodies. No sinister marrow signal changes. Continuous linear diffuse high signal change within the cervical and thoracic cord probably represents a prominent central canal rather than a syrinx. No high signal changes within the cord itself.
The visualised brainstem and posterior fossa are within normal limits.
Mild broad base disc protrusions mildly efface the ventral aspect of the thecal sac with no compromise of the exiting nerve roots. No spinal stenosis.
No paravertebral soft tissue masses.

Comment:
Mild disc protrusions from C3 to C7 inclusively with no compromise of the thecal sac nor the exiting nerve roots. Central prominence noted. Follow up MRI suggested.


If you can explain it to me in simple terms it would be much appreciated =)
---Kara
4 Responses
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620923 tn?1452915648
COMMUNITY LEADER

  Hi and welcome to the Chiari forum.

Well not being  a medical professional I can only refer to items I am familiar with....

It does not mention Chiari, and does indicate a widening of the central canal...many times this is how they describe a syrinx, but ur report says no syrinx....???

The other thing u have to remember this is an opinion of one radiologist....so it is best to get copies of the MRI and use it to compare  to what is going on now.

Always get copies of the study and the reports...sometimes there is helpful info in them, sometimes not..

Sorry I wish I could offer more insight.Once u have a new MRI and it is compared they can see how things have changed if at all.
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Avatar universal
Hi i have just found out i have chiari type 1 and i need surgery.can anyone recomend a good doctor in sydney? Thanks
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620923 tn?1452915648
COMMUNITY LEADER

  There is a thread with a list of Drs in Australia, not sure if ne r close to Sydney  tho.....I will bump it up for u,.
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Avatar universal
Ok thanks
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