Review Question - QID 215598

A 37-year-old male presents to your clinic with complaints of severe low back pain of several months duration with numbness that radiates into the dorsum of his left foot and weakness with great toe extension. Straight leg raise testing is negative. He says his pain has worsened over this time period. He denies prior back pain or recent trauma. He also denies any history of systemic symptoms such as fevers or chills. He has no incontinence of bowel or bladder. Figure A demonstrates his lateral lumbar radiograph. Which of the following statements is true regarding this patient's diagnosis?