A 50-year-old male presents with low back pain. He denies trauma and says he just woke up and it was hurting. An MRI reveals that the vertebra at L5 slid forward relative to those above and below it. This condition is called:

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The description given in the question suggests spondylolisthesis, which is a condition where one vertebra slips forward relative to the one below it. This can cause lower back pain and may require surgery in severe cases. Degenerative disk disease, on the other hand, is a condition where the disks between vertebrae break down over time, while spondylolysis refers to a stress fracture in the vertebrae. Spinal stenosis is a narrowing of the spinal canal that can also cause low back pain. However, the most likely diagnosis based on the scenario presented is spondylolisthesis.

A 50-Year-Old Male Presents with Low Back Pain