I studied to be a massage therapist so I basically understand the terms but could use some help in interpretation. understand the terms. Thanks in advance
Narrative
RADIOLOGICAL CONSULTATION: MR LUMBAR SPINE WO CONTRAST 8/22/2017 17:37 PDT CLINICAL HISTORY: chronic lumbosacral pain DIAGNOSIS: Low back pain [M54.5]; Other chronic pain [G89.29]; Segmental and somatic dysfunction of sacral region [M99.04] TECHNIQUE: Sagittal and axial T1 and T2 weighted images of the lumbar spine. COMPARISON: MRI lumbar spine without contrast dated 11/01/2010. FINDINGS: The distal cord and conus medullaris are normal. The conus terminates at T12-L1. Lumbar alignment is anatomic. There is minimal chronic anterior wedging of T12 and L1, likely physiologic and unchanged. There are no pathologic areas of marrow signal abnormality. Sagittal evaluation of the T12-L1 through L2-L3 demonstrates minimal disc desiccation without focal disc herniation. The central canal and neural foramen are widely patent. At L3-L4, there is disc desiccation and loss of disc height with small endplate osteophytes. There is mild disc bulge which extends into the biforaminal zones, slightly increased since 2010. There is no central canal stenosis. There is mild neural foraminal narrowing, increased since 2010, but without evidence of nerve root impingement. At L4-L5, there is disc desiccation and loss of disc height. There is mild disc bulge without focal herniation. There is bilateral facet arthropathy with small amount of fluid in the facet joints. There is multifactorial borderline central canal narrowing. There is mild neural foraminal narrowing. Findings at this level are stable compared to 2010. At L5-S1, there is disc desiccation with relative preservation of disc height. There is no significant disc bulge or protrusion. The central canal, lateral recesses and neural foramen are patent. There is bilateral facet arthropathy, asymmetrically greater on the left. Limited visualization of the retroperitoneum demonstrates no acute abnormality.
Impression
IMPRESSION: 1. At L3-L4, there is mild circumferential disc bulge with small endplate osteophytes and biforaminal disc protrusions. There is mild bilateral neural foraminal narrowing. Findings at this level have mildly progressed since 2010. 2. At L4-L5, there is mild disc bulge and bilateral facet arthropathy with borderline central canal narrowing and mild neural foraminal narrowing. 3. At L5-S1, disc signal and morphology is relatively preserved. There is facet arthropathy, asymmetrically greater on the left.