What does small annular rent with a central disc protrusion mean?

A small annular rent is a small tear in the outer layer of the intervertebral disc, which is the fibrocartilaginous tissue that separates the vertebrae in the spine. In a small annular rent, the tear is small and does not extend all the way through the disc, unlike a herniated disc.

A central disc protrusion is a bulge in the inner layer of the disc material, which is the soft gelatinous nucleus pulposus, which extends out through the rent. This can place pressure on the nerve root or spinal cord, causing pain and other neurological signs and symptoms.

Together, a small annular rent with a central disc protrusion refers to a specific type of disc pathology where there is a small tear in the outer layer of the disc, with a bulging of the inner disc material through the rent, which can potentially cause nerve root irritation or compression.