MR LSPINE W/WO CONTRAST

COMPARISON: Lumbar spine MRI with and without contrast dated 2/20/2008

Additional pertinent history: Low back pain for 5-6 months with bilateral leg numbness. History of lumbar laminectomy.

Technique: Multiplanar multisequence lumbar spine MRI was performed with and without gadolinium enhancement.

Contrast: 15 ml of MultiHance

FINDINGS:

Postoperative changes: Patient status post previous left hemilaminectomy at the level of L5-S1.

Vertebral body heights and alignment: Negative.

Vertebral marrow signal: Mild type I degenerative endplate changes at L5-S1 slightly increased from previous study. No other abnormal marrow signal.

Distal thoracic cord and conus: Negative. The conus ends at T12-L1.

Surrounding soft tissues: Negative.

Inspection of the disc spaces reveal the following:

L5-S1: Postoperative changes with a posterior broad-based disc protrusion with ligamentum flavum and facet overgrowth contributing to severe bilateral neural foraminal narrowing without significant canal stenosis very


L4-L5: Significant disc space narrowing at this level without significant disc bulge or disc protrusion. No canal or neural foraminal narrowing.

L3-L4: Ligamentum flavum and facet overgrowth with minimal circumferential disc bulging. Mild bilateral neural foraminal narrowing without canal stenosis and no change since previous study.

L2-L3: Negative.

L1-L2: Negative.

T12-L1: Negative.

Pathologic enhancement: Negative.

Impression
IMPRESSION:
1. Stable postoperative and spondylitic change involving the lower lumbar spine.