Female, 41 years old, with back pain. Spinal alignment is anatomic. Vertebral body height and morphology are within normal limits. No evidence of marrow edema or marrow replacement is seen.The visualized distal spinal cord and conus are within normal limits. The nerve roots of the cauda equina are generally somewhat crowded which likely reflects a congenitally slender spinal canal. Additional superimposed degenerative findings are as follows:L1-2: Unremarkable. L2-3: Mild facet arthropathy. No significant spinal canal or foraminal stenosis. L3-4: Mild disc bulging, slightly progressed from prior. Mild generalized spinal canal narrowing. Mild bilateral foraminal narrowing. L4-5: Facet arthropathy, ligamentum flavum thickening, and disc bulging, progressed from prior. Mild generalized spinal canal stenosis, progressed from prior. Mild bilateral foraminal narrowing. L5-S1: Facet arthropathy, ligamentum flavum thickening, and mild spinal canal stenosis, progressed from prior. Moderate bilateral foraminal narrowing.
Relatively mild but progressive disc and posterior element degeneration is seen from L3-4 through L5-S1. Superimposed upon a congenitally narrow spinal canal, these findings contribute to mild spinal canal and foraminal stenosis as detailed above.