Distribution of high-intensity zone of lumbar intervertebral disc in patients with low back and/ or leg pain and its related factors / 中国医师进修杂志

ABSTRACT

ObjectiveTo investigate the distribution of high-intensity zone (HIZ) of lumbar intervertebral disc in patients with low back and/or leg pain,and analyze its related factors.MethodsSix hundred and twenty-eight patients with low back and/or leg pain were examined by MRI scan from June 2009 to August 2010.According to the diagnostic criteria of HIZ,the features of distribution of HIZ on age,segment and degree of intervertebral disc degeneration were analyzed retrospectively.ResultsAmong 3140 intervertebral discs of the 628 patients,172 cases (27.39％,172/628) and 206 discs (6.56％,206/3140)were involved with HIZ.There was no significant difference between men and women [26.38％(86/326)vs.28.48％(86/302)] (P=0.556).HIZ occurred more often [40.22％(72/179)] in those patients between 40 and 49 years of age.The incidence of HIZ at the segments from L1-2,L2-3,L3-4,L4-5,L5-S1 was 0.80％(5/628),2.07％(13/628),2.07％(13/628),14.01％(88/628) and 13.85％(87/628) respectively.In cases with and without HIZ,the incidence of intervertebral disc degeneration up to grade V was 49.03％(101/206) and 23.76％(697/2934) respectively (P ＜ 0.01 ).HIZ was correlated with age,degree of intervertebral disc degeneration and disc segment (r =-0.040,P=0.025 ;r =0.217,P＜ 0.01 ;r =0.179,P＜ 0.01 ).Conclusions HIZ is correlated with age,degree of intervertebral disc degeneration and disc segment.Intervertebral disc degeneration plays the most important role in the occurence of HIZ.HIZ_mainly occur in L4-5 and L5-S1 segment and in those between 40 and 49 years of age.