Jun 2026· Romanian Journal of Rheumatology· Vol 35, pp. 100· 0 citations· 27 references
TL;DR
MRI remains the superior modality for comprehensive assessment of non-traumatic LBP, while plain radiographs offer value as a rapid, cost-effective, and accessible first-line diagnostic tool, particularly in resource-limited settings.
Abstract
Background. Low back pain (LBP) is among the most prevalent musculoskeletal disorders globally and contributes significantly to disability, reduced productivity, and increased healthcare utilization. In Iraq, the burden of LBP is substantial, and timely and accurate diagnosis is critical for effective management. Despite their limitations in detecting certain pathologies, plain radiographs remain widely used owing to their low cost and accessibility. This study aimed to assess the diagnostic accuracy of plain radiographs compared with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in identifying non-traumatic causes of LBP. Methods. A cross-sectional comparative study was conducted at the Radiology Center in Basra, Iraq, involving 244 adult patients with non-traumatic LBP. Each participant underwent plain radiography and MRI. Demographic and clinical data, including age, sex, occupation, work history, comorbidities, and history of spinal disease, were collected. Imaging findings were compared to evaluate the ability of plain radiographs to detect vertebral involvement, using MRI as the reference standard. Results. Plain radiographs demonstrated moderate-to-high sensitivity in identifying gross bony abnormalities, advanced degenerative changes, and vertebral deformities. However, their diagnostic accuracy was limited for detecting intervertebral disc disease, bone marrow edema, and early degenerative or inflammatory changes. MRI was more effective in identifying subtle soft tissue and early spinal pathologies. Conclusion. MRI remains the superior modality for comprehensive assessment of non-traumatic LBP, while plain radiographs offer value as a rapid, cost-effective, and accessible first-line diagnostic tool, particularly in resource-limited settings. Plain radiography may support preliminary evaluation; however, MRI should be prioritized when advanced intervention is anticipated or when early inflammatory, neural, or soft tissue pathology is suspected. Further large-scale studies are warranted to validate these findings and inform diagnostic strategies in similar healthcare contexts.
Background:Low back pain (LBP) is a common musculoskeletal disorder and a major cause of disability worldwide. The Modified Oswestry Disability Index (MODI) is a validated tool used to assess disability related to LBP.Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is widely used to evaluate degenerative changes in the lumbosacral spine;however, degenerative findings may also be present in asymptomatic individuals, leading to variability between imaging and clinical severity.AimsandObjectives:Tocorrelate the radiological changes in low back pain by Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) with clinical severity by Modified Oswestry Disability Index (MODI) in patients with low back pain.Materials and Methods: In this prospective observational study, 80 patients aged ≥18 years presenting with LBP were assessed using the Modified Oswestry Disability Index (MODI) questionnaire. Subsequently, MRI of the lumbosacral spine was performed, and degenerative changes across five lumbar intervertebral disc levels were graded and correlated with MODI scores.Results:The mean age of the study population was 46.84 ± 16.2 years with a slight female predominance. Degenerative changes were most frequent atL4/L5 and L5/S1 levels. Most patients demonstrated mild MRI degeneration (82.5%), and minimal disability was observed in 53.75%. MRI grading showed a statistically significant association with disability categories (P < 0.001) along with a strong positive correlation (Spearman’s r = 0.950).Conclusion: Higher MRI grades of lumbar degeneration were associated with greater functional disability in patients with LBP. MRI grading may aid structural assessment in appropriately selected symptomatic patients, but findings should be interpreted in conjunction with clinical evaluation.
Dr. Avneet Kaur, Dr. Harish Gambhir, Dr. Noel Sukhjeet Singh et al.· Asian Journal of Medical Res...· 0 citations
Background/Objectives: Low back pain (LBP) is highly prevalent among dentists, although the relationship between lumbar magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings and symptoms remains unclear. This study aimed to identify lumbar MRI-derived structural profiles in actively practicing dentists and to examine their relationship with LBP, pain-related disability, demographic characteristics, occupational factors, and individual MRI findings. Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted in 57 actively practicing dentists. Demographic, occupational, and clinical data were collected, and lumbar MRI examinations were performed using standardized protocols. MRI findings included disc bulging, disc herniation, annular fissure, Modic changes, osteophytes, facet joint degeneration, and spinal canal stenosis. Cluster analysis was used to identify MRI-derived structural profiles. Associations between profiles, LBP, disability, demographic characteristics, occupational factors, and individual MRI findings were assessed using chi-square tests and correspondence analysis. Results: Two distinct MRI-derived structural profiles were identified: a disc–facet degenerative profile (n = 38) and a non-osseous degeneration profile (n = 19). Disc bulging (100% vs. 52.6%, p < 0.001), facet joint degeneration (94.7% vs. 10.5%, p < 0.001), and osteophytes (23.7% vs. 0%, p = 0.022) significantly contributed to profile differentiation, whereas disc herniation, Modic changes, and annular fissure did not. Neither MRI-derived profile was associated with the presence of LBP or pain-related disability (p > 0.05). Younger dentists were more frequently classified within the disc–facet degenerative profile with LBP, whereas older dentists with similar structural findings were more commonly classified within the same profile without LBP (p = 0.007). No significant associations were observed between MRI-derived profiles and occupational characteristics. Conclusions: Two distinct lumbar MRI-derived structural profiles were identified in dentists, but neither was associated with LBP or pain-related disability. Age appeared to influence the clinical expression of the disc–facet degenerative profile, suggesting that lumbar MRI findings should be interpreted within a broader, age-sensitive clinical context rather than as isolated determinants of symptoms.
Federico Bruno, F. Bini, Raffaele Natella et al.· Diagnostics· 0 citations
USG provides improved detection of osteophytes and offers additional information on soft-tissue and early structural changes in knee OA and serves as a valuable, accessible adjunct to conventional radiography for comprehensive evaluation and early diagnosis of knee OA.
R. Rajkumar, E. D. K. Naidu, Gowthaman Nambiraj et al.· Journal of Clinical and Diag...· 0 citations
Background: Low back pain (LBP) is one of the leading causes of disability worldwide and represents a major public health burden. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the imaging modality of choice for evaluating spinal pathology because of its superior soft tissue resolution. However, there is limited local data describing the spectrum of MRI findings among patients with chronic low back pain in Nigeria.
Objective: To review the spectrum of lumbosacral MRI findings in patients presenting with non-traumatic low back pain at Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH).
Methods: This hospital-based cross-sectional study evaluated lumbosacral MRI examinations of patients with chronic non-traumatic low back pain. MRI findings including disc degeneration, disc herniation, spinal canal stenosis, foraminal stenosis, ligamentum flavum hypertrophy, facet arthropathy, Modic changes, and nerve root compression were documented.
Results: Degenerative spinal changes constituted the predominant MRI abnormalities. Disc degeneration, disc herniation, foraminal stenosis, spinal canal stenosis, ligamentum flavum hypertrophy, and facet arthropathy were the commonest findings. Disc degeneration and exiting nerve root compression demonstrated significant associations with severe pain. Increasing age and longer symptom duration were associated with a higher prevalence of degenerative MRI findings, whereas most abnormalities showed no significant association with body mass index. MRI demonstrated high diagnostic sensitivity (98%) in identifying the underlying causes of low back pain.
Conclusion: Degenerative lumbar spine disease is the predominant cause of chronic low back pain among patients undergoing MRI at LASUTH. MRI remains an indispensable diagnostic tool for identifying clinically significant spinal abnormalities and should be considered early in elderly patients and those with persistent or severe symptoms to facilitate appropriate management and improve patient outcomes
Keywords: Aetiology, Radiodiagnosis, Low back pain, MRI,
A. Lawal, R. Akinola, A. Fasan-Odunsi et al.· Gateway Medical Journal· 0 citations
MRI provides a detailed evaluation of knee injuries, aiding diagnosis and management, and MRI detection of associated abnormalities helps guide treatment and improve patient outcomes.
Abhishek Mishra, A. Singh· International Journal of Pha...· 0 citations
Background: Low back pain (LBP) is a common musculoskeletal condition and a leading cause of disability worldwide, contributing to reduced quality of life and economic burden. Despite its high prevalence, there remains variability in its clinical presentation across different populations, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. Objective: To describe the clinical findings in patients presenting with low back pain at Moi Teaching and Referral Hospital (MTRH), Eldoret, Kenya. Methods: A hospital-based cross-sectional study at MTRH (September 2024–August 2025) included 218 adults with low back pain who underwent lumbosacral X-ray and MRI. Consecutive sampling was used. Socio-demographic and clinical data were collected using structured tools and analyzed using STATA version 18 and summarized using descriptive statistics. Results: The mean age of participants was 51.2 years, with a female predominance (60.6%). Majority were overweight (32.1%) or obese (58.3%). A total of 74.8% of the participants presented with gradual onset pain with 45.4% presenting with symptoms lasting more than 12 weeks. Pain was sharp or aching in nature, with moderate intensity pain being most frequently reported. Aggravating factors included prolonged standing, sitting, and physical activity. Exercise and postural changes provided relief. Sciatic pain affected 31.7% of patients, and over one-third were unable to work due to functional limitation. Conclusion: Low back pain at MTRH affects middle-aged females with high BMI, was chronic and mechanically aggravated. Recommendation: High index of suspicion is required to make accurate clinical diagnosis. Further research on LBP is required as there is paucity of publications in developing countries.
S. L. Chepchumba, Barry R. Ayumba, K. Agwata· British Journal of Healthcar...· 0 citations