History of SLE and chronic low back pain assess for disk disease On sagittal reconstructed images there is disk space narrowing with vacuum disk phenomena at the L4-5 disk space.The remainder of the visualized levels demonstrate preservation of disk height. Vertebral bodies are within normal limits in height.Axial images through the L1-2 level demonstrate minimal facet hypertrophic changes no significant central or foraminal stenosis.At the L2-3 level there is no significant central or foraminal stenosis. Incidental note is made of a stent within the left renal artery at this level.At the L3-4 level mild facet hypertrophic changes with mild bulge of the disk causing minimal effacement of ventral thecal sac but no significant central or foraminal stenosis.At L4-5 there is a diffuse bulging disk as well as ligamentous hypertrophy and facet joint hypertrophic changes. These result in a mild to moderate degree of central canal stenosis as well as mild bilateral foraminal narrowing.At the L5-S1 level central bulging disk is present with mild effacement of ventral thecal sac but no significant central canal stenosis.
Degenerative changes of the lumbar spine which are most severe at L4-5 where there is disk space narrowing and vacuum disk phenomena. Diffuse bulge of the disk is present which in conjunction with ligamentous hypertrophy and facet hypertrophic changes causing mild to moderate degree of central canal stenosis and mild bilateral foraminal narrowing. These findings are without significant change in comparison to the prior study.At the L5-S1 level small central disk protrusion is present without significant confines of the central canal or neural foramen.