Fig. 1

Female patient 55 years old presented with low back pain referred to left leg for 9 months. a Sagittal T2WI of lumbar spine showing: L3/L4 heterogeneous, intermediate signal intensity, unclear nucleus-annulus distinction, normal to slightly decreased disk height (grade 3). L4/L5 Heterogeneous, intermediate to hypointense signal, lost nucleus-annulus distinction, moderately decreased disk space (grade 4). L5/S1 heterogeneous, hypointense signal, lost nucleus-annulus distinction, collapsed disk space (grade 5). Sagittal color coded post processing T2 mapping (b–d) and (e–g) of most degenerated disks L4–5 and L5–S1 respectively, sagittal post processing ADC mapping (h–j) and (k–m) of same respectively with ROIs placed on nucleus pulposus, annulus fibrosus and entire of the disks and the values tabulated as follows: