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A member asked:
Is it possible to have a lumbar mri that looks "terrible"-trefoil canael, degenerated discs and herniation- but be not pathological at all?
3 doctors weighed in across 2 answers
YES!: One of the major problems with spinal imaging is that what looks terrible does not always correlate with symptoms. If there is a disc herniation but a roomy spinal canal there might not be a clinical problem. Some people try more provocative things like injecting contrast into the presumed abnormal disc to try to reproduce pain to improve clinical accuracy. We treat the patient not the images.
Answered 10/4/2016
5.5k views
Yes: Doctors treat patients not mris. Asymptomatic degenerative problems or disc herniations are very common on mris. Your doctor can use your imaging results along with your history and physical to guide your medical treatment.
Answered 9/16/2013
4.9k views
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