Chronic Low Back Pain in Young Population: An MRI Study

Background: Low back pain is a common health problem in the younger population. Spinal degeneration is the most common cause of low back pain. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the most common causes of low back pain with MRI in young people under the age of 40 and to determine gender differences, if any. Methods: This is a retrospective study on 200 consecutive patients between the ages of 17 - 39 who had lumbar MRI (1.5 T MRI). Patients were included in the study based on the information collected from the radiological database system and neurosurgical clinical archives between September - October 2017. Spinal mass, spondylolisthesis, disc degeneration, multifidus muscular atrophy, and congenital anomalies were investigated. Studied parameters were compared in male and female patients. Results: Disc degeneration or hernia was observed in 132 patients (66%) and no gender difference was found for a disc hernia (P = 0.376 Chi-Square test). The most frequent disc hernia was detected at the level L5 - S1. Multifidus muscular atrophy was identified in 54 (27%) of all patients and it was higher in women (P < 0.001). Accepted change of lumbar lordosis was detected only in 10 patients. Conclusions: Disc herniation is the most common causes of low back pain in young people under the age of 40 and there are no gender differences.