I don't have much to comment on the annular fissure bit but I have noticed that there is definitely a big difference in how each physician/radiologist reads those images. For instance, my MRI report didn't say anything about how my L5/S1 was actually ruptured. The disk height was still ok, but there was definitely more material pushing against the nerves than the report let on. The whole report was mild this mild that. Those descriptions actually had me turned down by the surgeon who did my coworker's cervical fusions because it made me not look like a surgical candidate. So, I went to a different surgeon who was accepting non-surgical patients so I could ask about injections and he took one look at the MRI, shook his head and told me injections were in no way going to help because my L5/S1 was toast.
I recently got to look at all my medical records from my old primary care physicians office because I switched physicians and picked up copies of the documentation. I got so angry reading through that documentation. My old primary care made everything sound like nothing was wrong. The reports from my old physical therapist made it sound like I'd made tons of progress in PT when I specifically said that in general I felt a little better but was still regularly in a lot of pain, and then that MRI report. I wanted to scream. Of course, at the time I was already post-op and also laughing inside because I felt like I had the last laugh in a way by firing that physician and finally having the relief I was looking for when I first went to the doc.
I think too that a year can make a huge difference. When I first started going through this stuff and really trying to find a solution, I read and was told how even if we herniate a disk, usually rest and anti-inflammatories can help it heal, so maybe that specific level has been able to heal somewhat and start returning to a more normalized level? It could also his interpretation has adjusted slightly after seeing more or something like that. *shrug*
~Sara