Clinical-radiographic correlation of degenerative changes of the spine - systematic review / Correlação clínico-radiológica das alterações degenerativas da coluna - revisão sistemática / Correlación clínico-radiológica de los cambios degenerativos de la columna - revisión sistemática

ABSTRACT Systematic review of the literature on the evaluation of images of degenerative changes of the spine and its clinical correlation. A systematic literature review was conducted, and the results evaluated for the presence of clinical correlation, as well as the type of imaging method used. The search terms were "Intervertebral Disc Degeneration", "Intervertebral disc", "Classification", "Anulus fibrosus", "Nucleus pulposus", "Lumbar spine", "Degenerative disc disease", "Degeneration", "Zygapophyseal Joint". We also assessed whether there were inter- and intraobserver agreement in the selected works and possible guidelines regarding the treatment and prognosis of patients. Of the 91 reviewed abstracts, 31 articles were selected that met the inclusion criteria. Six articles were related to the cervical spine, 13 to the lumbar spine and 12 were about changes not related specifically to a single segment of the spine. Articles that determined limiting values considered normal were also included, since variations were considered signs of degeneration or pathology. It was not possible to establish the relationship between the changes identified in imaging and the clinical history of patients, either define treatment and prognosis guidelines.

RESUMO Revisão sistemática da literatura de avaliação por imagem das alterações degenerativas da coluna e sua correlação clínica. A revisão sistemática da literatura foi realizada e seus resultados, avaliados com relação à presença de correlação clínica, assim como o tipo de método de imagem utilizado. Os termos de pesquisa foram "Intervertebral Disc Degeneration", "Intervertebral disc", "Classification", "Anulus fibrosus", "Nucleus pulposus", "Lumbar spine", "Degenerative disc disease", "Degeneration", "Zygapophyseal Joint". Também se avaliou se houve concordância inter e intraobservador nos trabalhos selecionados e possíveis orientações com relação ao tratamento e ao prognóstico dos pacientes. Dos 91 resumos revisados, foram selecionados 31 artigos que satisfizeram os critérios de inclusão. Seis artigos estavam relacionados com a coluna cervical, 13 com a coluna lombar e 12 versavam sobre alterações não relacionadas especificamente com um único segmento da coluna. Os artigos que determinaram valores limítrofes considerados normais também foram incluídos, uma vez que suas variações foram consideradas sinais de degeneração ou patologia. Não foi possível estabelecer a relação entre alterações identificadas nos exames de imagem e a história clínica dos pacientes, tampouco definir orientações de tratamento e prognóstico.

RESUMEN Revisión sistemática de la literatura sobre evaluación por imágenes de los cambios degenerativos de la columna y su correlación clínica. Fue realizada una revisión sistemática de la literatura y sus resultados evaluados cuanto a la presencia de correlación clínica, así como al tipo de método de imagen utilizado. Los términos de búsqueda fueron "Intervertebral Disc Degeneration", "Intervertebral disc", "Classification", "Anulus fibrosus", "Nucleus pulposus", "Lumbar spine", "Degenerative disc disease", "Degeneration", "Zygapophyseal Joint". Se evaluó también si había concordancia inter e intraobservador en los trabajos seleccionados, además de las posibles orientaciones en cuanto al tratamiento y al pronóstico de los pacientes. De los 91 resúmenes revisados, treinta y un artículos que cumplieron los criterios de inclusión fueron seleccionados. Seis artículos estaban relacionados con la columna cervical, 13 con la columna lumbar y 12 eran acerca de cambios no relacionados específicamente a un solo segmento de la columna vertebral. También se incluyeron artículos que determinaron valores límites considerados normales, ya que los cambios fueron considerados señales de degeneración o patología. No fue posible establecer la relación entre los cambios identificados en las imágenes y la historia clínica de los pacientes, tampoco definir orientaciones de tratamiento y pronóstico.

Cultural adaptation and validation for portuguese of the spinal appearance questionnaire / Adaptação cultural e validação do questionário da aparência da coluna vertebral em português / Adaptación cultural y validación en portugués del cuestionario de la apariencia de la columna

ABSTRACT Objective: Make the cultural adaptation of the spinal appearance questionnaire (SAQ). Method: Twenty patients and their accompanying relatives responded to SAC and were asked about possible improvements. Results: Eighteen girls (90%) and two boys (10%), average age 14.8 years; Cronbach's alpha values of 0.79 and 0.75 were found for patients and parents respectively. Conclusion: The Brazilian Portuguese version of the spinal appearance questionnaire presented in this paper proves to be a valid tool for their purposes in its pre-trial phase.

RESUMO Objetivo: Fazer a adaptação cultural do questionário da aparência da coluna (QAC). Método: Vinte pacientes e seus parentes acompanhantes responderam ao QAC e foram questionados quanto a possíveis melhorias. Resultados: Dezoito meninas (90%) e dois meninos (10%); média de idade de 14,8 anos; encontrados valores do alfa de Cronbach de 0,79 e 0,75 para pacientes e parentes respectivamente. Conclusão: A versão em português brasileiro do questionário da aparência da coluna vertebral apresentado neste trabalho mostra-se um instrumento válido para os seus fins na sua fase de pré-teste.

RESUMEN Objetivo: Hacer la adaptación cultural del cuestionario de la apariencia de la columna (CAC). Método: Veinte pacientes y sus familiares acompañantes respondieron al CAC y se les preguntó acerca de posibles mejoras. Resultados: Dieciocho niñas (90%) y dos niños (10%); edad media de 14,8 años; se han encontrado valores alfa de Cronbach de 0,79 y 0,75 para los pacientes y sus familiares, respectivamente. Conclusión: La versión en portugués del cuestionario de la apariencia de la columna presentado en este trabajo, demuestra que es un instrumento válido para sus propósitos en su fase pre-test.

Types and Prevalence of Coexisting Spine Lesions on Whole Spine Sagittal MR Images in Surgical Degenerative Spinal Diseases

PURPOSE: We investigated types and prevalence of coexisting lesions found on whole spine sagittal T2-weighted images (WSST2I) acquired from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and evaluated their clinical significance in surgical degenerative spinal diseases. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Coexisting spinal lesions were investigated using WSST2I from 306 consecutive patients with surgical degenerative spinal diseases. Severity of coexisting lesions was classified into four grades (0-3). Lesions of grade 2 and 3 were defined as "meaningful coexisting spine lesions" (MCSL). Degenerative spinal diseases were classified into three pathologies: simple disc herniation, degenerative spinal stenosis, and ligament ossification disease. The relationships between MCSL, gender, age, and primary spine lesions were analyzed. RESULTS: MCSL were found in 95 patients: a prevalence of 31.1%. Five out of 95 MCSL were surgically managed. The most common types of MCSL were disc herniation with 13.1% prevalence, followed by degenerative stenosis (9.5%) and ligament ossification diseases (6.8%). Older patients (age > or = 40) showed a significantly higher prevalence of MCSL than younger patients. There was no significant difference between male and female patients. The prevalence of MCSL was significantly higher (52.4%) in ligament ossification diseases than in disc herniation or spinal stenosis. CONCLUSION: Degenerative spinal diseases showed a high prevalence of MCSL, especially in old ages and ligament ossification diseases. WSST2I is useful for diagnosing coexisting spinal diseases and to avoid missing a significant cord-compressing lesion.

Korean Guideline Development for the Evaluation of Permanent Impairment of the Spine: Proposal by the Korean Academy of Medical Sciences Committee

The criteria for the evaluation of spinal impairment are diverse, complex, and have no standardized form. This makes it difficult and somewhat troublesome to accurately evaluate spinal impairment patients. A standardized guideline was studied for the evaluation of spinal impairment, based on the American Medical Association (AMA) Guides and the McBride method. This guideline proposal was developed by specialty medical societies under the Korean Academy of Medical Sciences. In this study, the grades of impairment were assessed by dividing patients into three different categories: spinal cord impairment, spinal injury impairment and spinal disorder impairment. The affected regions of the spine are divided into three: the cervical region, the thoracic region, and the lumbosacral region. The grade of impairment was differentially evaluated according to the affected region. The restricted range of motion was excluded in the evaluation spinal impairment because of low objectivity. Even though the new Korean guideline for the evaluation of spinal impairment has been proposed, it should be continuously supplemented and revised.

Clasificacion de la enfermedad degenerativa del disco lumbar de Thalgott. Reproductibilidad intraobservador e interobservador / Thalgott classification for lumbar degenerative disc disease. Intra- and inter- observer reliability

Introducción: Se determinó la concordancia interobservador e intraobservador del sistema de clasificación de la enfermedad degenerativa del disco lumbar según Thalgott y cols. Materiales y métodos: En este trabajo participaron 7 observadores (4 ortopedistas especialistas en cirugía espinal y 3 médicos concurrentes). Se analizaron 22 discos intervertebraleslumbares de 15 pacientes. Se evaluaron: radiografías(frente, perfil, dinámicas), resonancia magnética(cortes sagitales y axiales en tiempos T1-T2) y discografía. Se utilizó el índice kappa para la evaluación estadística. Resultados: Concordancia interpersonal: la primera medición disco-faceta fue 22,7 por ciento IC 95 por ciento 7,8-45,4 por ciento; en la segunda medición hubo diferencias entre disco (27,3 por ciento IC 95 por ciento 10,7-50,2 por ciento) y faceta (18,2 por ciento IC 95 por ciento 5,2-40,3 por ciento).Concordancia intrapersonal: el valor hallado en la evaluación global fue kappa = 0,72 (IC 95 por ciento 0,50-0,93), en la valoración sólo por disco fue kappa = 0,76 (IC 95 por ciento 0,54-0,97) y según faceta fue kappa = 0,66 (IC 95 por ciento 0,31-1). Conclusiones: La concordancia interpersonal en la valoración global (disco-faceta) es baja y la intrapersonal es buena. La concordancia al clasificar el disco fue mayor que al hacerlo en las facetas. El análisis demostró quecuanto mayor experiencia tienen los observadores, se obtienen mejores resultados. Proponemos simplificar lacomplejidad al clasificar el disco intervertebral y el uso de la tomografía computarizada para mejorar la reproducibilidad al clasificar la articulación facetaria. El fin último es contar con una clasificación en la cual la patología discal y facetaria sea comprendida, clasificada y validada, para tener un lenguaje común y de utilidad en la elección del tratamiento de esta patología.