Prevalence and Radiological Evaluation of Lumbar Spondylosis on Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Abstract

Quick Response Code Abstract: Background: Low back pain is most common complaint in majority of population. It is important to preclude its serious cause which disturbs quality of life and results in disability. Due to soft tissue detail study Magnetic Resonance Imaging is the emerging modality and used to evaluate intervertebral disk changes and spine pathologies. Objectives: To estimate the association of lower back pain with lumbar spondylosis in determination to the patterns of lumbar disc degeneration on Magnetic Resonance Imaging. Methodology: A cross sectional and observational study of 80 patients with low back pain who were prescribed lumbosacral MRI was held. All were evaluated on magnetic resonance imaging to investigate the underlying cause of low back pain along with various MRI features of lumbar spine degeneration. Result: Majority of the patients had low back pain 87.7%. Different lumbar spondylosis patterns evaluated on MRI were lumbar disk degeneration 80.2%, disc dehydration 51.9% while endplate changes were 28.4%. Other patterns such as anterior osteophytes hypertrophy of ligament flavum, facet joint arthrosis and disc bulges were evaluated. Spondylolisthesis was rare while herniation of disk and disk bulges were frequently seen at lumbar spine level of L4-L5 (50.6%). Conclusion: Lower back pain with progressing age of 45 years and above is common in lumbar spondylosis. Magnetic resonance imaging is modality of choice and has set the benchmark to detect different patterns of lumbar spondylosis including disk degeneration and other disc pathologies.