MRI with contrast

[hurt back]

Was told earlier today that my appt. was for tomorrow for my new MRI.. Hopefully it will show something b/c the way the case manager and the Dr was talking this is it. if it is the same as the last one there is nothing more he stated he can do as he doesn't treat chronic pain..

Is this a "good" tool to use as a source of finding pain as a "last" resort?

I'm just worried its going to be the same as last and them say sorry nothing else we can do for you..

[1171]

(08-08-2012 10:10 PM)hurt back Wrote:  Was told earlier today that my appt. was for tomorrow for my new MRI.. Hopefully it will show something b/c the way the case manager and the Dr was talking this is it. if it is the same as the last one there is nothing more he stated he can do as he doesn't treat chronic pain..

Is this a "good" tool to use as a source of finding pain as a "last" resort?

I'm just worried its going to be the same as last and them say sorry nothing else we can do for you..

Pain is too subjective-no objective measurement of how much.
They can Only note secondary indicators.

[AQA]

If you are going to have a MRI. You want it w/wo constrast and closed.

I have had several MRI's. The best ones were done in a closed machine. I don't do well in tight places, so my first one was done as an open mri. The drs. did not like the results of that so they ordered a closed one with sedation. They knew I was going to come out of that machine well before it was done. Anyway with contrst will show things that the without contrast won't.

PS. there are a great many drs. that can't so anything pain. That is why there are PM DRs.. and 1171 is correct. Pain levels are to subjected. Even with the pain scale of faces that everyone has seen. That is open to interpretation.

[Woodlawn]

With and without contrast is good. If possible, it would be ideal to get a 3T MRI, but those still aren't terribly common at the moment.

[hurt back]

Thanks for the replies.. Hopefully today this will show them something so we can get to the bottom of whatever the problem is.

[hurt back]

Well the new MRI shows problems with the L4-L5 disc ( same as previous MRI )..

L4-L5 : Bulge with small central protrusion. Mild facet and ligamentum prominence. No significant foraminal or spinal stenosis. minimal lateral recess stenosis is evident.



Findings : Sagittal images demonstrate maintenance of body heights of most disc spaces; the L4-L5 is dimished in height and signal suggesting degradation. Small defect of anterior CSF space is noted at this level.

So hopefully this will give then some kind of idea of what is going on.. Also upon looking at the images on the CD they gave me the L4-L5 disc from a top view of it, the disc was black and had white lines that look like cracks on it.. Nothing was mentioned on the report is that just normal for a degenerated disc?