Nuclear Bone Scan: Multifocal arthropathy including symmetric involvement of both hip joints. Moderate symmetric uptake indentified in both hip joint and also within both knee joints.
Loose translation from medicalese would be multi-location arthritis changes in both hip joints and moderate (uptake throws me... osteoporosis-type changes is what I'm thinking... like dissolving of the bone for minerals... something you'd see in long term pred or other steroid use, for example). Could just be straight-up damage to the bone from the RA process.
As for the cervical spine (that's the neck portion of the spine), no fractures, out-of-place vertebrae (spinal bones), or soft-tissue (muscle, tendon, ligament, spinal cord, etc.) swelling in front of those bones. No arthritic changes in the bone structures. The ligamentous instability would be something like a whiplash injury (or other injury to the soft tissues).
Or uptake of the tracer they used... duh! Sorry!
Symptoms include:
- Pain located either to the left or right of your lower back. The pain can range from an ache to a sharp pain which can restrict movement.
- The pain may radiate out into your buttocks and low back and will often radiate to the front into the groin. Occasionally it is responsible for pain in the testicles among males.
- Occasionally there may be referred pain into the lower limb which can be mistaken for sciatica.
- Classic symptoms are difficulty turning over in bed, struggling to put on shoes and socks and pain getting your legs in and out of the car.
- Stiffness in the lower back when getting up after sitting for long periods and when getting up from bed in the morning.
- Aching to one side of your lower back when driving long distances.