Could you please help me understand my MRI problem.

Question

Hello, I'm 35 years old, 173 cm tall and 92 kg. I've had back pain problems since I was 16, and it is getting worse every year. Pain is 24/7 on my lower back, I wake up with stiffness and have the same stiffness if I set or stand for longer periods of time. In addition, pain radiates to both buttocks and then down to my legs when I walk for few minitus or do slight daily physical life related activities. I was referred to a pain management clinic in 2012 where I had facet injections at the bilateral L4-5 and L5-S1. That gave me a good relief for 1.5 month. I asked my doctor to have a new MRI, and  Had it done last week, could you please explain it to me.  

Findings:

There is a component fo congenital lumbr spinal stenosis.

At the T11-T12, T12-L1, L1-2 and L2-3 levels there is minimal facet bulging with the neural foraminal appearing nearly unremarkable.

 

At the L3-4 level there is some eccentric bulging noted within the neural foraminal regions bilaterally with bilateral neural foraminal narrowing with facet hypertrophic disease and ligamentum flavum hypertrophy.

 

At the L4-5 level there is a mild bulge with eccentric left lateral recess and left neural foraminal and left lateral protrusion most prominent within the left neural foraminal and left lateral aspect abutting the left L4 nerve root with neural foramen extraforaminally. There is facet hypertrophic disease with ligamentum flavum hypertrophy with mild central stenosis and left greater than right lateral recess stenosis with mild to moderate right neural foraminal narrowing and moderate to potentially moderate severe left neural foraminal narrowing.

 

At the L5-S1 level there is a minimal bulge with minimal bilateral neural foraminal narrowing. There is a bilateral facet hypertrophic disease and ligamentum flavum hypertrophy.

 

Impression:

 

Lumbar spondylitic disease most prominent at the L4-5 level.  

 

I have an older MRI from 2012 that I can share if needed.

 

Thank you in advanced.