Hello,
I have a 17 year old son with back pain. The doctor sent him for an mri, and these are the results. Please help us understand it...

There is straightening of the lumbar lordosis. Lumbar vertebral bodies are maintained in the height and singal for age with persistent red marrow and scattered areas of fatty marrow noted within the lumbar vertebral bodies. Limited evaluation of the prevertebral soft tissues is grossly unremarkable except for a 1cm cyst in the right lobe of the liver.

L5/S1 level demonstrates left eccentric disc bulge abutting the exiting left L5 nerve root with mild to moderate left foraminal stenosis.

L5/5 level demonstrates mild facet hypertrophic changes and mild disc bulge with minimal left foraminal stenosis due to left eccentric disc bulge.

Impression:
Minimal disc disease with left eccentric disc bulge L5/S1 level minimally abutting the left L5 nerve root with mild to moderate left foraminal stenosis. Mild disc bulge L4/5 level. Right hepatic cyst.

Thank you for any help