Time & Symptom Descriptions

• Acute – Recently happened; short-term (days to weeks).
• Subacute – Not brand new, but not long-lasting either (weeks to a few months).
• Chronic – Has been going on for a long time (usually months to years).
• Progressive – Getting worse over time.
• Stable – Not changing.

Spine Disc-Related Terms

• Intervertebral disc – The “cushion” between the vertebral bones of your spine.
• Annulus fibrosus – The tough outer wall of the disc.
• Nucleus pulposus – The soft, jelly-like center of the disc.
• Disc desiccation – The dark appearance of a disc on MRI, which correlates with fluid loss.
• Disc degeneration – The disc is wearing down, drying out, or losing height, like an old cushion.
• Disc bulge / protrusion – The disc’s annulus fibrosis is weakened, causing it to push outward beyond the normal borders.
• Disc herniation / extrusion – Cracks in the annulus fibrosis allow some of the nucleus pulposus to escape beyond the normal borders of the disc.
• Disc sequestration – A piece of the disc has broken off and moved into the spinal canal.

Spinal Canal and Cord

• Spinal canal – The hollow space in your spine that holds the spinal cord and nerves.
• Spinal stenosis – Narrowing of the spinal canal, which can pinch nerves.
• Thecal sac – The fluid-filled covering around the spinal cord and nerves.
• Epidural space – The space just outside the thecal sac.
• Cord compression – Pressure on the spinal cord.
• Myelopathy – Damage or irritation of the spinal cord.

Nerves

• Nerve root – A bundle of nerves that branch from the spinal cord.
• Nerve root compression / impingement – A nerve being squeezed.
• Radiculopathy – Symptoms (like pain, tingling, or weakness) from a pinched nerve.
• Foramen / neural foramen – The small openings on both sides of the spine where nerves exit.
• Foraminal stenosis – Narrowing of the foramen opening, which can trap a nerve.

Spinal Bones

• Vertebra  – The bones of the spine.
• Vertebral Body – The front, cylindrical part of the vertebra between the discs
• Endplates – The top and bottom surfaces of each vertebra that touch the discs.
• Osteophyte – A bone spur, or extra bone growth.
• Facet joints – The small joints in the back of the spine that help it move.
• Facet arthropathy – Wear-and-tear arthritis in those small joints.
• Pars defect / spondylolysis – A crack or stress fracture in the thin, flat part of the spine bone that makes up the back of each vertebra.
• Compression Fracture – compaction of the front of the vertebra called vertebral body
• Spondylolisthesis – One spine bone has slipped forward or backward over another.

Other Common Findings

• Degenerative changes – General “wear and tear” in the spine.
• Edema – Swelling or extra fluid.
• Modic changes – Changes in the bone next to the disc, often showing irritation or inflammation.
• Ligamentum flavum hypertrophy – Thickening of a ligament in the spine that can crowd the nerves.
• Cyst – A fluid-filled sac (usually harmless).
• Hemangioma – A harmless cluster of blood vessels inside a bone.
• Mass / lesion – A lump or abnormal spot (could be many things, not always cancer).

Location Words

• Cervical spine – Neck area.
• Thoracic spine – Mid-back area, where ribs originate.
• Lumbar spine – Lower back area.
• Sacrum – Base of the spine, which is part of the pelvis.
• Central canal – The main space in the middle of the spine.
• Lateral recess – A side area inside the spinal canal where nerves run.
• Right / left – Refers to which side of the body the finding is on.

Translation Help Is Here

At the Regenerative Spine & Joint Center we enjoy educating people about their spine conditions and translating their imaging studies. If you would like to have your spine disc MRI images explained to you in an understandable way, call us today at (614) 389-3089 to schedule an appointment. Learn more about our practice at DiscseelOhio.com.