Spinal stenosis
Brief definition
Spinal stenosis means the bony canal that carries the spinal cord and the nerve roots (the cauda equina) has grown too narrow. Most often it happens in the lower back — lumbar spinal stenosis. The classic symptom is leg pain that builds as you walk and eases as soon as you lean forward, known as neurogenic claudication.
What is behind this finding?
The cause is usually degenerative: the discs flatten, the facet joints enlarge (facet joint osteoarthritis), and the yellow ligament (ligamentum flavum) thickens — all three structures narrow the canal from different sides. On MRI, the radiologist measures the width of the canal — below about 10 mm front to back is usually the point where it starts to matter — and names the levels involved, such as L3/L4 and L4/L5. The nerve roots themselves matter just as much: can they still float freely in the canal, or are they packed together and pinned? The report also notes what else it finds, such as spondylolisthesis (one vertebra slipping forward on another) or Modic changes.
What does this mean for you?
Treatment starts conservatively: physical therapy to strengthen your core and back, losing weight if that applies to you, and sometimes epidural injections. Surgery — decompression, occasionally with a fusion — comes up when several months of conservative treatment have not helped and you can no longer walk any real distance. Remember that the scan and your symptoms have to tell the same story: a stenosis that looks severe on MRI but causes you no trouble is not a reason to operate.
When is a second opinion worthwhile?
Before any spine operation, a second opinion is almost always worth it. The options run from a straightforward decompression to a fusion across several levels, and the same procedure does not suit everyone. Even when the radiologist calls the stenosis “high-grade,” someone should check that the images line up with what you actually feel before you go to the operating room. Second View delivers that radiological second opinion within 48 hours.
How can I request a second opinion?
1. Get in touch
Contact us through our platform.
2. A radiologist gets back to you
A board-certified radiologist contacts you personally and works with you to pin down exactly which question the second opinion should answer — and whether your existing images (MRI, CT, or X-ray) are suitable for a second read.
3. Transparent, upfront pricing
You then receive a firm quote — usually €70–150, depending on the type of exam.
4. The second reading
Once you approve and pay, our radiologists — all licensed to practice in Germany — review your images carefully and independently.
5. Your report & follow-up questions
Your report arrives digitally, written in plain, easy-to-understand language.
If anything is unclear, you can speak directly with the radiologist who read your images.
Tip:
Many private health insurers reimburse some or all of the cost of a radiological second opinion.
You’ll receive an invoice you can submit to your insurer. If you have German statutory health insurance (GKV), you currently pay for the second opinion yourself — statutory insurance does not cover it (Section 27b of the German Social Code, Book V).