Perhaps it may well be the other way around however. I often wondered if people do get a CES diagnosis when there is nothing to be seen on a scan because they really have bilateral PN where (usually) nothing will show on a scan. Medics usually prefer a more commonly recognised diagnosis to PN don't they

I remember that CES is mentioned in the Nantes Criteria, under;
Pain With No Objective Sensory Impairment
This is an essential clinical finding. The presence of a superficial perineal sensory deficit is highly suggestive of a sacral nerve root lesion, particularly involving the cauda equina nerve roots, or a sacral plexus lesion. These proximal lesions usually do not cause pain and present clinically with sensor motor deficits, especially sensory loss and sphincter motor disorders etc.....
Not sure about the proximal lesions not causing pain,

Thanks
Helen