Your MRI Report — In Plain English

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💡 Purple underlined words like this are medical terms — hover (or tap) for a plain-English definition.

🔬 What Kind of Test Was This?

An MRIMagnetic Resonance Imaging — a scan that uses powerful magnets (no X-rays) to take detailed pictures of soft tissues inside your body, like discs and nerves. uses powerful magnets and radio waves — not X-rays — to take detailed pictures of the soft parts inside your spine. No dye or contrast was injected. You were lying down (not standing) during the scan.

Your spine was examined in the lumbar regionThe lower back — the part of your spine made up of 5 bones labeled L1 through L5, just above your tailbone., which is your lower back. The individual bones are labeled L1 through L5 from top to bottom, and the next section down is called the sacrum (S1).

✅ The Good News First

Most of your spine looks healthy. Your vertebral bodiesThe main bony blocks that stack on top of each other to form the spine. Think of them as the building blocks of your back. (the stacked bones) are normal in height and well-aligned. The bone marrowThe soft tissue inside your bones where blood cells are made. Normal marrow on MRI means no signs of cancer or serious infection. looks fine.

The conus medullarisThe very bottom tip of the spinal cord. It normally ends around the L1 level — this is where it should be, so that's normal. — the very tip of your spinal cord — ends exactly where it should. The levels L1 through L3 are essentially normal. L3–L4 shows only mild joint wear.

Your Two Problem Areas

Level L4 – L5 · More Serious

🔴 The Bigger Problem — L4–L5

The intervertebral discThe cushion pad that sits between each pair of spinal bones, acting like a shock absorber. It has a tough outer ring and a soft, jelly-like center. between your L4 and L5 bones has lost height and fluid — it's worn down and dried out. ("disc desiccation and loss of disc height")
There is a disc herniationWhen the soft jelly center of the disc breaks through the tough outer ring and pushes out of place — like squeezing a jelly doughnut too hard. — a chunk of disc material has pushed out to the left and upward. It's fairly large: about the size of a grape — 7mm deep, 16mm wide, 14mm tall. ("large left paracentral disc herniation which is extruded superiorly … 7 mm AP x 16 mm ML x 14 mm CC")
This herniated material is pressing on the left L5 nerve rootOne of the nerves that exits your spine at the L4–L5 level and travels all the way down your left leg to your foot. When pinched, it can cause shooting pain, numbness, or weakness in the leg. — causing pain shooting down your leg (also called radiculopathyPain, numbness, tingling, or weakness that travels from the spine down into the arm or leg along the path of a pinched nerve. Often called "sciatica" when in the lower back., or sciatica). ("impingement upon the left L5 nerve root")
The thecal sacThe fluid-filled protective sleeve surrounding your spinal cord and nerve roots inside the spinal canal. When narrowed, it can squeeze the nerves inside. is compressed down to 8mm — it's being squeezed. ("moderate canal stenosis with thecal sac compressed to 8 mm")
The lateral recessA narrow side channel inside the spinal canal where a nerve travels before exiting through a hole in the bone. When narrowed, it pinches the nerve. on the left is narrowed, pinching the nerve further. ("severe left lateral recess stenosis")
The foraminaThe bony openings (like tunnels) on each side of the spine where the nerves exit the spinal canal. "Foraminal stenosis" means these tunnels have narrowed. are narrowed on both sides, worse on the left — called foraminal stenosisA narrowing of the bony tunnels where spinal nerves exit the spine, causing the nerves to be pinched or compressed.. ("moderate to severe bilateral foraminal stenosis, left worse than right")
There is also facet arthrosisArthritis and wear in the small joints at the back of the spine. These "facet joints" allow your spine to bend and twist. When worn, they can become inflamed and painful. — wear and arthritis in the back joints, worse on the right side. ("severe facet arthrosis, right worse than left")

Illustration · L4–L5 Level Left Paracentral Disc Herniation with L5 Nerve Compression The red blob shows the disc material that has burst out to the left and upward, pressing directly on the L5 nerve root (pink line) as it exits the canal. The blue oval is the thecal sac being squeezed. The right side shows where the foramen (nerve exit tunnel) has narrowed.

Illustration · Foraminal Stenosis at L4–L5 How the Exit Tunnel Narrows and Pinches the Nerve Left shows a normal foramen (open tunnel) with the nerve passing freely. Right shows your situation at L4–L5: the tunnel has narrowed from disc collapse and bone overgrowth (the brown mass), squeezing the nerve.

Illustration · Facet Arthrosis at L4–L5 (Right Side Worse) Arthritis in the Back Joints of Your Spine The small joints at the back of the spine (facet joints) normally glide smoothly. With arthrosis, they become rough, inflamed, and develop bone spurs (red triangles). Your report shows this is worse on the right side at L4–L5.

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Your Exact Level: L4–L5 Spinal Segment — Full Anatomy Animation L4–L5

Spine-Health.com · Level-specific animation

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Lumbar Disc Herniation — How It Compresses Nerve Roots L4–L5

Spine-Health.com · Animated overview

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Herniated Disc Symptoms — Why Your Leg Hurts L5 nerve

Spine-Health.com · ~1:45 animated

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Facet Arthritis & Lumbar Osteoarthritis Explained Facet arthrosis

Spine-Health.com · Animated

Level L5 – S1 · Also Affected

🟠 The Second Affected Level — L5–S1

The disc here is also worn down and losing height, with spondylitic changeBone changes caused by aging and wear — including small bone spurs and roughening around the edges of the disc space. (bone wear and spurs along the disc edges). ("disc desiccation and loss of disc height with spondylitic change")
There is a second disc herniationThe cushion pad between two spinal bones has cracked and the soft center is pushing outward, pressing on nearby nerves. — smaller (3mm deep, 8mm wide) — also pushing left, pressing on the left S1 nerve rootThe nerve exiting at the L5–S1 level that travels down the back of the leg into the heel and sole of the foot. When pinched, it can cause heel pain, weakness, or numbness.. ("left paracentral disc herniation … 3 mm AP x 8 mm ML … impingement upon the left S1 nerve root")
The left lateral recessThe narrow side channel where the nerve travels before exiting the spine. Narrowing here pinches the nerve. and left foramenThe bony exit tunnel where the nerve leaves the spine. When this narrows, it squeezes the nerve passing through it. are narrowed on the left side. ("left lateral recess stenosis" and "left foraminal stenosis")
The right side and central canal are clear at this level — good news for the right side. ("no significant central canal stenosis … right side is clear")

Illustration · L5–S1 Level Smaller Left Disc Herniation with S1 Nerve Compression The orange blob at the left shows the smaller herniation at L5–S1, pressing on the S1 nerve root (orange line) that travels to your heel and sole. Note the bone spurs (red triangles) from long-term wear. The right side of the canal is clear (green checkmark).

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Your Exact Level: L5–S1 Spinal Segment — Full Anatomy Animation L5–S1

Spine-Health.com · Level-specific animation

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L5–S1 Degenerative Disc Disease — Animation of Your Lowest Level L5–S1

Spine-Health.com · Animated

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Sciatica — Why the S1 Nerve Causes Heel & Sole Pain S1 nerve

Spine-Health.com · Animated

📋 What the Doctor Concluded (The "Impression")

Finding	What It Means in Plain English	Severity
L4–L5 disc herniation, pushed upward	Large chunk of disc jelly squirted out left & up, pressing on the L5 nerve	More Serious
Left L5 nerve root pinched	The nerve running down your left leg is being squeezed at this level	More Serious
Canal, lateral recess & foraminal narrowing at L4–L5	Multiple passageways around the nerve are all narrowed and cramped	More Serious
L5–S1 disc herniation	A smaller disc herniation at the next level down, also pushing left	Moderate
Left S1 nerve root pinched	The nerve traveling to your heel and sole is also being squeezed	Moderate

📖 Quick Glossary of All Medical Terms

Lumbar spine

Your lower back — 5 bones labeled L1–L5

Vertebral body

The main bony building block of the spine

Intervertebral disc

The cushion pad between two spinal bones

Disc herniation

The soft center of a disc pushes through its outer ring

Extruded / Extruded superiorly

The disc material fully broke through and pushed upward

Nerve root

A branch of nerve that exits the spinal canal into the leg

Nerve root sleeve impingement

The protective sheath around the nerve is being squeezed

Radiculopathy

Pain/numbness shooting down the arm or leg from a pinched nerve

Thecal sac

The fluid-filled tube surrounding your spinal cord and nerve roots

Lateral recess stenosis

Narrowing of the side channel where a nerve travels before exiting

Foraminal stenosis

Narrowing of the bony exit tunnel where spinal nerves leave the spine

Facet arthrosis

Arthritis and wear in the small joints at the back of the spine

Spondylitic change

Bone spurs and rough edges from long-term disc wear and aging

Conus medullaris

The tapered tip at the bottom of the spinal cord

Paracentral

Slightly off-center — the herniation is just to the left of center

Canal stenosis

Narrowing of the main central tunnel that the spinal cord travels through

⚕️ Important Notice This translation is meant to help you understand and ask better questions at your next doctor's visit. It is not medical advice. Only your physician — Dr. Banner — can recommend the right treatment for you, which may range from physical therapy and medications to injections or surgery. Please bring your questions directly to your healthcare provider.

Your MRI Report — In Plain English

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