57-year-old male with bilateral lower extremity weakness. Evaluate for spinal cord compression. The vertebral bodies are appropriate in the overall alignment and height. The spinal cord has normal signal characteristics and overall morphology. Mild degenerative changes are visualized within the lower cervical and lower lumbar spine but there is no central spinal canal stenosis or cord compromise. There is edema in the soft tissues around the facet complexes in the lower lumbar spine greater on the right which is similar to the prior exam and may be related to facet arthropathy.
This is a limited exam specific for the exclusion of cord compression only and does not exclude more subtle lesions such as intrinsic cord abnormalities. Mild degenerative changes in cervical spine and changes related to facet arthropathy involving the lower lumbar spine. However there is no central spinal canal stenosis or cord compression.Due to the screening nature of this protocol details are not as evident on imaging as dedicated protocols of the spine.