Correlation Between Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Clinical Diagnostic Findings of Lumbar Degenerative Disc Disease

Background: A Japanese scientists observed lifetime predominance of low back pain to >80%, costing over 100 billion US dollars/year for the puzzling treatment of low back pain regarding etiology and treatment. Objective: To correlate between magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and diagnostic findings of lumbar degenerative disorders. Methodology: 138 patients of lumbar degenerative disc disease (DDD) were selected without age and gender discrimination by convenient sampling, at the Department of Radiology, Shalamar Hospital Lahore and Lahore General. MRI scans were evaluated to localize nerve compression, disc herniation, nature of calsac deformation in relation to age, sex and symptomatology of patients . Results: Females were more commonly affected in degenerative spinal disease and most of the patients show disc protrusion, desiccation, decreased disc height, herniation, extrusion, narrowing of spinal canal, narrowing of lateral recess, compression of neural foramen, ligamentum flavum thickening and facet joint arthropathy was common at the L4 –L5 disc level. Disc bulge was common at L3 – L4 & L4 – L5 disc level. Osteophytes are also common at L3 - L4 & L5 –S1 disc level. L1- L2 disc involvement with  spondylo-listhasis. Conclusion: This study showed that there is good association between history and examination findings in patients with backache in MRI findings. The symptoms and signs of degenerative disc disease and MRI findings are correlated before invasive therapy is undertaken.