58-year-old male with leg and back pain. The vertebral column alignment is within normal limits. The vertebral body heights are preserved. Mild disc height loss and Schmorl's nodes are again visible from T11 through L1. There is also mild loss of disc height involving the L5-S1 level. There is no focal worrisome marrow signal abnormality. There is no significant spinal canal stenosis. The spinal cord displays normal signal and morphology. There is multi-level facet arthropathy which has progressed slightly at the L5-S1 level compared to the prior exam. There is also a mild disc bulge and small superimposed right paracentral disc protrusion involving the L5-S1 level which is new since 2008 and which may be causing impingement on the traversing right S1 nerve root. There is at most mild narrowing involving the bilateral L5-S1 neuroforamina. The paravertebral soft tissues are unremarkable.
Multilevel spondylotic changes most prominent at the L5-S1 level where slight progression of the facet arthropathy, a mild disc bulge and small superimposed right paracentral disc protrusion may be causing impingement on the traversing right S1 nerve root. Correlate for a possible S1 radiculopathy.