Need Medical Terminology Broken Down

[JustineP]

I had an auto accident a few months back.  I went to the er and had a ct scan.  This is the response from the scan:

No fractures or other acute abnormalities are seen.  The pre-spinal soft tissues are within normal limits.  Ossification or calcification seen posterior to the c3-c4 disc space level is likely ligamentous calcification although herniated calcified disc material cannot be excluded.

What does this mean?

[Dr Sharma]

Hi there. Your CT scan reports are suggestive of posterior ligamentous ossification possibly posterior longitudinal ligament, which can be a cause for cervical spine stenosis. This could be responsible for cervical spondylosis. Symptoms may vary from none to radiculomyelopathy with spastic paralysis of the extremities depending on the thickness of ligament ossification. You would have neurological symptoms depending on the residual canal size. MRI would elaborate the spine changes better. It would also display degenerative disc disease changes much better. Cervical disc herniation could cause compressive neurological symptoms and might need surgical decompression if NSAIDs, physiotherapy or epidural steroids do not provide relief. Consult your neurologist for clinical evaluation and correlation. Hope this helps. Take care.

[caregiver222]

It means that the spinal nerves pass through a number of passageways enroute to the extremities. These passageways have become narrowed in several places. It is unclear exactly why this has taken place. They suspect that one or more of the discs between the vertebra have been "squished" and deposits of calcium may have ended up in the spaces. When there is nerve compression for a long period of time the muscles tend to atrophy. This may cause weakness in the limb or extremities or tingling.

You should probably have an additional scan with a 3T MRI.