I heard from my neurosurgeon regarding my recent MRI and he wants me to come in to discuss results and "possible" surgery. I have never had surgery before and I want to be as informed as possible on what options I may be able to discuss with him. I am a 50 year old female with diagnosed Relapsing Polychondritis and psoriatic arthritis [mild]. Below are my results. I am assuming my providers concern is with the C5, C6
and C7 areas. My concern is surgery, does this look like something that can be resolved or relieved with PT or injections?
FINDINGS:
The included posterior fossa is normal. The cerebellar tonsils and fourth ventricle are normal
in morphology.
Alignment: Nonspecific straightening of the normal lumbar lordosis.
Bone marrow/osseous: Vertebral body heights are maintained. No bone marrow edema or bone marrow
replacing process. No fractures.
Spinal cord signal: Normal.
Craniocervical junction: Occipitoatlantal and atlantoaxial articulation show mild degenerative
changes.
C2-C3: No spinal canal narrowing. No neuroforaminal narrowing.
C3-C4: No spinal canal narrowing. No neuroforaminal narrowing. Minimal uncovertebral
hypertrophy and bilateral facet arthropathy.
C4-C5: No spinal canal narrowing. No neuroforaminal narrowing. Mild facet arthropathy.
C5-C6: There is symmetric disc bulging with superimposed protrusion extending into the right
paracentral and right foraminal zone as well as superimposed protrusion extending into the left
foraminal/extraforaminal zone. Moderate spinal canal narrowing to 6 mm. Moderate to severe
left neuroforaminal narrowing and mild to moderate right neuroforaminal narrowing. Mild facet
arthropathy.
C6-C7: There is a central disc extrusion with superior migration. There is also a component
which migrates inferiorly to the level of the mid C7 vertebral body. Moderate to severe central
spinal canal narrowing to 5.8 mm. No neuroforaminal narrowing.
C7-T1: No spinal canal narrowing. No neuroforaminal narrowing. Mild facet arthropathy.
Prevertebral and paravertebral soft tissues: Vertebral artery flow voids are maintained.
Impression
C5-C6 disc osteophyte complex with superimposed protrusions resulting in moderate spinal canal
narrowing, moderate to severe left neuroforaminal narrowing and mild to moderate right
neuroforaminal narrowing.
C6-C7 irregular disc osteophyte complex with migration resulting in moderate to severe spinal
canal narrowing greatest centrally with chronic cord deformity.