Female, 69 years old, with right leg pain. Spinal alignment is anatomic. Vertebral body height and morphology are within normal limits. Degenerative fatty endplate signal change is seen at L4-5. Degenerative edematous endplate signal change is seen at L5-S1.There is a very small focus of T2 hyperintensity within the left aspect of the conus which seems to show a degree of volume loss as well. The cauda equina nerve roots are unremarkable. No epidural abnormalities are suspected.L1-2: Loss of disc T2 signal with relatively preserved disc height. Small central annular fissure. No significant spinal canal or foraminal stenosis. L2-3: Facet arthropathy. No significant spinal canal or foraminal stenosis. L3-4: Facet arthropathy and ligamentum flavum thickening. Minimal disc bulging. No significant spinal canal or foraminal stenosis. L4-5: Facet arthropathy. Loss of disc height with disc bulging. No significant spinal canal stenosis. Moderate left and mild right foraminal narrowing. L5-S1: Facet arthropathy. Disc bulging with central disc protrusion. The protrusion may contact the descending bilateral S1 nerve roots. Spinal canal itself, however, is not significantly narrowed. The bilateral neural foramina are severely narrowed.
1.Relatively severe degenerative findings are seen at L5-S1 with disc bulging, a central disc protrusion and facet arthropathy. Although the spinal canal itself is not significantly narrowed, the L5-S1 neural foramina are significantly narrowed, and the descending S1 nerve roots may also be mildly impinged.2.Disc degeneration is also seen at L4-5 but without high-grade spinal canal or foraminal stenosis. The remaining levels are within normal limits or show only minimal degenerative disease.3.A small focus of T2 hyperintensity within the left aspect of the conus is of uncertain significance. The possibility of parenchymal volume loss at this level would suggest that the abnormality is chronic.