Clinical question: Evaluate for lumbar spine pain. Signs and symptoms: Back pain. Nonenhanced lumbar MRI:There is normal anatomical alignment of vertebral column.T11-T12 is unremarkable.T12/L1 is unremarkable.L1-L2 is unremarkable.L2-L3 demonstrate mild disc desiccation and mild ligamentum flavum hypertrophy without spinal stenosis or neural foraminal compromise.L3-L4 demonstrate moderate degenerative disc disease and loss of disc height, mild bilateral ligamentum flavum hypertrophy and mild facet disease. No evidence of spinal stenosis or neural foraminal compromise.L4-L5 demonstrate mild disc disease, mild bilateral facet disease and ligamentum flavum hypertrophy. There is a shallow broad-based left lateral and far lateral disc protrusion with resultant left lateral recess compromise however without spinal stenosis or neural foraminal compromise.L5-S1 demonstrate moderate disc disease and loss of disc height, mild bilateral facet and ligamentum flavum hypertrophy. There is a linear focus of T2/T2 STIR hyperintensity within the annulus of the disc in the midline and to the right suggestive of an annular fissure. No spinal stenosis or neural foraminal compromise.
1.At L4-L5 there is evidence of mild degenerative changes, a shallow broad-based left lateral and far lateral disc protrusion with resultant left lateral recess compromise.2.At L5-S1 there is moderate disc disease and a central and rightward annular fissure as detailed.3.There is no evidence of spinal stenosis or neural foraminal compromise at any level.4.Mild degenerative changes of lumbar spine as detailed per level above.