Lumbar Spine MRI

Images of normal discs and a herniated disc

Image courtesy of Intermountain Medical Imaging, Boise, Idaho. All rights reserved.

A side view of the lumbar spine shows normal discs, spinal canal, and nerve roots (see figure 1). Nerve roots normally float in the fluid-filled canal. Figure 2 shows a small herniated disc pushing into the canal toward nerve roots.

Credits

ByHealthwise Staff
Primary Medical ReviewerWilliam H. Blahd, Jr., MD, FACEP - Emergency Medicine
Specialist Medical ReviewerRobert B. Keller, MD - Orthopedics
Last RevisedDecember 14, 2011
By: Healthwise StaffLast Revised: December 14, 2011
Medical Review: William H. Blahd, Jr., MD, FACEP - Emergency Medicine
Robert B. Keller, MD - Orthopedics

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