Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Lumbar Spine in Young Arabs with Low Back Pain

<sec><title>Study Design</title>A retrospective review of lumbar magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies conducted at the Department of Radiodiagnosis & Imaging of a Tertiary Care Armed Forces Hospital between May 2014 and May 2016.</sec><sec><title>Purpose</title>To assess the advantages of incorporating sagittal screening of the whole spine in protocols for conventional lumbar spine MRI for patients presenting with low back pain.</sec><sec><title>Overview of Literature</title>Advances in MRI have resulted in faster examinations, particularly for patients with low back pain. The additional detection of incidental abnormalities on MRI helps to improve patient outcomes by providing a swifter definitive diagnosis. Because low back pain is extremely common, any change to the diagnostic and treatment approach has a significant impact on health care resources.</sec><sec><title>Methods</title>We documented all additional incidental findings detected on sagittal screenings of the spine that were of clinical significance and would otherwise have been undiagnosed.</sec><sec><title>Results</title>A total of 1,837 patients who met our inclusion criteria underwent MRI of the lumbar spine. The mean age of the study population was 45.7 years; 66.8% were men and 33.2% women. Approximately 26.7% of the patients were diagnosed with incidental findings. These included determining the level of indeterminate vertebrae, incidental findings of space-occupying lesions of the cervicothoracic spine, myelomalacic changes, and compression fractures at cervicothoracic levels.</sec><sec><title>Conclusions</title>We propose that T2-weighted sagittal screening of the whole spine be included as a routine sequence when imaging the lumbosacral spine for suspected degenerative pathology of the intervertebral discs.</sec>

Download Full-text

Does magnetic resonance imaging predict future low back pain? A systematic review

European Journal of Pain ◽

10.1002/j.1532-2149.2013.00427.x ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 18 (6) ◽

pp. 755-765 ◽

Cited By ~ 55

Author(s):

D. Steffens ◽

M.J. Hancock ◽

C.G. Maher ◽

C. Williams ◽

T.S. Jensen ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Magnetic Resonance Imaging ◽

Systematic Review ◽

Low Back Pain ◽

Back Pain ◽

Magnetic Resonance ◽

Low Back ◽

Resonance Imaging

Download Full-text

Predictors of Spondylolysis on Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Adolescent Athletes With Low Back Pain

Orthopaedic Journal of Sports Medicine ◽

10.1177/2325967121995466 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 (4) ◽

pp. 232596712199546

Author(s):

Takuji Yokoe ◽

Takuya Tajima ◽

Hiroshi Sugimura ◽

Shinichirou Kubo ◽

Shotarou Nozaki ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Magnetic Resonance Imaging ◽

Low Back Pain ◽

Back Pain ◽

Magnetic Resonance ◽

Neurological Symptoms ◽

Low Back ◽

Resonance Imaging ◽

Advanced Imaging ◽

Adolescent Athletes ◽

Mri Scans

Background: Spondylolysis and undiagnosed mechanical low back pain (UMLBP) are the main causes of low back pain (LBP) in adolescent athletes. No studies have evaluated the difference in clinical and radiographic factors between these 2 conditions. Furthermore, it remains unclear which adolescent athletes with LBP should undergo advanced imaging examination for spondylolysis. Purpose: To compare the clinical and radiographic factors of adolescent athletes with spondylolysis and UMLBP who did not have neurological symptoms or findings before magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) evaluation and to determine the predictors of spondylolysis findings on MRI. Study Design: Cohort study, Level of evidence, 3. Methods: The study population included 122 adolescent athletes aged 11 to 18 years who had LBP without neurological symptoms or findings and who underwent MRI. Of these participants, 75 were ultimately diagnosed with spondylolysis, and 47 were diagnosed with UMLBP. Clinical factors and the following radiographic parameters were compared between the 2 groups: spina bifida occulta, lumbar lordosis (LL) angle, and the ratio of the interfacet distance of L1 to that of L5 (L1:L5 ratio, %). A logistic regression analysis was performed to evaluate independent predictors of spondylolysis on MRI scans. Results: Significantly more athletes with spondylolysis were male (82.7% vs 48.9%; P < .001), had a greater LL angle (22.8° ± 8.1° vs 19.3° ± 8.5°; P = .02), and had a higher L1:L5 ratio (67.4% ± 6.3% vs 63.4% ± 6.6%; P = .001) versus athletes with UMLBP. A multivariate analysis revealed that male sex (odds ratio [OR], 4.66; P < .001) and an L1:L5 ratio of >65% (OR, 3.48; P = .003) were independent predictors of positive findings of spondylolysis on MRI scans. Conclusion: The study findings indicated that sex and the L1:L5 ratio are important indicators for whether to perform MRI as an advanced imaging examination for adolescent athletes with LBP who have no neurological symptoms and findings.

Download Full-text