Female, 52 years old, with lower back and groin pain, occasional leg weakness, history of lumbar stenosis. The T1 signal of the bone marrow is diffusely somewhat lower than expected for age. However there is no evidence of pathologic T2 signal abnormality. Spinal alignment is anatomic. Vertebral body morphology is within normal limits. The visualized distal spinal cord, conus and nerve roots of the cauda equina are within normal limits. No epidural abnormalities are suspected.The spinal canal is congenitally slender through the lower lumbar region. Additional levels the findings are as follows.L1-2 through L3-4: No significant spinal canal stenosis or neuroforaminal narrowing. L4-5: Mild facet arthropathy. No significant spinal canal or foraminal stenosis. L5-S1: Mild facet arthropathy. Small left foraminal annular fissure. No significant spinal canal or foraminal stenosis.
1.Minimal degenerative findings without significant spinal canal or foraminal stenosis. The lower spinal canal is somewhat slender though this is related to congenital variation.2.Marrow signal is diffusely somewhat lower than expected on T1-weighted images. However, vertebral body morphology is within normal limits and there is no evidence of any pathologic marrow edema. Findings could represent normal variant persistent hematopoietic marrow, or perhaps marrow reconversion related to anemia or some other systemic process.