Would someone please help with MRI translation?

[Annie]

Hello,
Would someone please explain this answer from an MRI report that I just received, subsequent to a motorbike accident some 6 months ago?

"Disc space narrowing and osteophytic lipping in the mid thoracic region consistent with some mild degenerative disc disease. Changes most marked at the T6 level where there is mild wedging of the verterbral body and evidence of a schmoris noted involving the T6 vertebral body endplate."

I am still experiencing pain between the shoulders. Thank you for any feedback

[mmglobal]

With all the appropriate, "I'm not a doctor" qualifiers, in my experience, the schmorles nodes (defects like craters in the vertebral bodies) are not significant. The rest of the MRI reads like this.... mild, mild

Mild this and mild that are very common even in people with no symptoms. The doctors don't get too excited about mild pathology that in their experience is not symptomatic. That does not mean it's asymptomatic in your case.

6 months is not a long time in the spine world and I'd encourage you not to jump into surgery unless there is some real motivating factor, like neurologic involvement that is at risk for becoming permanent. (obvously... this is said knowing very little about your case... kind of a general rule. I don't know how badly you are suffering now.)

Good luck... keep us posted,

mark

[rabbit]

Originally Posted by Annie

Hello,
Would someone please explain this answer from an MRI report that I just received, subsequent to a motorbike accident some 6 months ago?

"Disc space narrowing and osteophytic lipping in the mid thoracic region consistent with some mild degenerative disc disease. Changes most marked at the T6 level where there is mild wedging of the verterbral body and evidence of a schmoris noted involving the T6 vertebral body endplate."

I am still experiencing pain between the shoulders. Thank you for any feedback

As mmglobal said, that reads like a "normal" MRI for anyone that isn't young. Schmorl's nodes are generally asymptomatic and of no consequence. Everyone has small ostephytes.. there is no mention of canal stenosis or foraminal narrowing implying they also not significant.