What does this MRI report of spine indicate?
Patient: Hi there, I have had a CT scan & a MRI my conclusion is mild secondary canal stenosis L4/5 with indentation of thecal sac, bilateral traversing and exiting nerve roots by a disc bulge. Indentation of the left exiting nerve root L5/S1. I am on plenty of pain relief at the moment & am wondering do I need to see a specialist about this & what does this mean for me. Doctor: Hello dear,I understand your concerns.Secondary canal stenosis means the spinal canal(the canal through which spinal cord passes in the spine)has been narrowed down secondary to some pathology of spine(most common pathology to cause this is degeneration of spine with age).When there is canal stenosis,it may compress some important nerve fibre tracts passing in spinal cord resulting in various symptoms like weakness in limbs,loss of sensations in limbs,urinary retention or urge incontinence.Similar degenerative process may compress upon the nerves which exits from the each vertebrae at different levels to pass into limbs and trunk again resulting symptoms of pain,numbness and tingling in limbs along with weakness,sensory loss,and bladder symptoms like loss of bladder sensations.Yes,you need to visit a neurologist to have an expert advise regarding this.I hope it was of help to you.