53-year-old man with lower back pain and new left leg weakness. Evaluate for cord compression. The vertebral bodies are appropriate in the overall alignment and height. The spinal cord has normal signal characteristics and overall morphology. There is no compromise of the spinal cord. There is multilevel disc osteophyte complex formation with mild canal narrowing at C5-C6 and C6-C7. At L4-L5 there is disc herniation with mild narrowing of the canal. Also at the L4-L5 level the facets are noted to be edematous and degenerated.
1.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. No cord compression is identified.2.Degenerative changes as described above. If further imaging evaluation is clinically warranted, nonemergent MRI of the lumbar spine could be considered.