Reason: r/o cord compression History: saddle anesthesia, urinary incontinence/retention, stool incontinence Complete spine for evaluation of spinal 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 narrowing of the spinal canal at C5-6 and C6-7 from what appears to be degenerative change. There is a moderate degree of facet hypertrophy associated with a disk bulge and mild subluxation at L4-5 associated with the narrowing of the spinal canal and neural foramina at this level and possibly some degree of spinal stenosis. There is a T1 vertebral body lesion measuring 12mm size which is present along the anterior and superior aspect of the T1 vertebra. It is bright on T1 weighted imaging. A similar lesions of varying sizes are present at L2, L3 L5.Cervical spine:The cervical vertebral bodies are appropriate in overall alignment and height. The cervical spinal cord has normal signal characteristics and overall morphology.At C2-3 there is no significant compromise to the spinal canal or neural foramina.At C3-4 there is no significant compromise to the spinal canal or neural foramina.At C4-5 there is no significant compromise to the spinal canal or neural foramina. There is posterior ligamentous hypertrophy present at this level.At C5-6 there are endplate and uncovertebral osteophytes present associated with a diffuse disk bulge and some posterior ligamentous hypertrophy with effacement of spinal fluid ventral and posterior to the spinal cord and overall moderate degree of spinal stenosis. Additionally, there is narrowing of the neural foramina bilaterally at this level due to osteophytes and disk material with mild encroachment of the exiting nerve rootsAt C6-7 there are endplate and uncovertebral osteophytes present associated with a diffuse disk bulge and some posterior ligamentous hypertrophy with effacement of spinal fluid ventral and posterior to the spinal cord and overall moderate degree of spinal stenosis. Additionally, there is narrowing of the neural foramina bilaterally at this level due to osteophytes and disk material with mild encroachment of the exiting nerve roots.At C7-T1 there is no significant compromise to the spinal canal or neural foramina.The vertebral artery flow voids appear to be intact.The left thyroid lobe appears fairly large but is incompletely visualized on this exam.
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.Due to the screening nature of this protocol details are not as evident on imaging as dedicated protocols of the spine.3.There are degenerative changes present in the cervical spine with a moderate degree of spinal stenosis at C5-6 and C6-7 related to osteophytes and disk material.4.Findings suggest a possible encroachment of nerve roots at L4-5 related to degenerative changes.5.The left thyroid lobe appears fairly large but is incompletely visualized on this exam.