I just got my latest MRI report back, a year from my first one. At the L4/5, it says there is an annular fissure. That means there is a tear in the disc membrane and it is leaking?
What are the repercussions of this, if any?
Have many of you found that reports vary a great deal from one radiologist to another? Last year's report said there was significant spinal stenosis at C5/6, while this new report, with a different doctor, says that the stenosis is moderate. That is a big change, when it comes to diagnosing for surgery, isn't it? Granted, the newest MRI looks pretty dark to me, and I can't understand how he can see much of anything in some spots. But things don't generally get better, do they?
There also seems to be a lot more changes in different levels, even if they are 'mild'. C6/7 now has a mild disc bulge, where there was none before, and a mild disc bulge at T3/4, minimal bulge at T4/5, and a small protrusion at T5/6. Mild, minimal, and small protrusion all mean the same thing, with the doctor trying to be poetic, correct?
(And please ignore the winkie face in the title...I didn't put it there and can't get rid of it for some reason....)