Frequency of Disc Degeneration at Different Levels of Lumbar Vertebrae in Adult Patients with Backache on Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Abstract

Objective:To Determine the Frequency of Disc Degeneration at Different Levels of lumbar Vertebrae in Adult Patients with lower back Pain on Magnetic Resonance Imaging.

Study Design: An analytical cross-sectional descriptive study was performed.

Settings: The study was performed in Bashir Neurospine Institute and Al-Razi Healthcare center, Lahore.

Period: An Analytical cross sectional study was conducted from 15 October,2020 to 15 January 2021.

Material and Methods: In our study, all those adult patients with lower back pain, obese, dull ache, numbness, tingling, pins and needle sensations, muscles spasms were included. And those patients who were not giving consent, spondylosis, lumbar spine stenosis, cervical and thoracic abnormalities, paedes, and those who were uncooperative were excluded. Data was tabulated and analyze with the help of statistical package for the social science (SPSS version 24). The data was reported using cross sectional descriptive statistics.

Results: In our research out of 160 patients 89 females and 51 males were those who  diagnosed with disc degeneration and 10 females and 10 male in which disc degeneration was absent. 10 patients out of 160 patients were those who diagnosed with disc degeneration at the level of L1 - L2 between the age of 24 to 87, 8 patients were those in which disc degeneration present at the level of L2- L3 between the age of 43 to 87, 31 patients were those in which disc degeneration present at the level of L3-L4 and  96 patients diagnosed with  disc degeneration present at the level of L4- L5 which is the lowest lumbar vertebra between the age of 55 to 80 years.

Overall out of 160 patients only 3 patients were those who represent with mild pain (25yrs) and 102 were those who came with moderate pain (27-90yrs) and 55 patients who represent with severe backache (30 to 89yrs).

In this research out of 160(100%) patients only 102  patients (63%) are those who present with moderate pain and 55 patients (34%)with severe pain .At L1-L2   disc degeneration only 5 patients (50%) were those who came with moderate and 5( 50% )with severe pain. At L2-L3 disc degeneration two patients (25%) with moderate and six patients (75%)with severe pain .At L3-L4 disc degeneration 11 patients (35.4%) with moderate and 20(64.5%) with severe pain. At L4-L5 disc degeneration 51 patients (53%) with moderate pain and 45 patients (46.8%) with severe pain. Our study also revealed that elevated BMI patients had high frequency of disc degeneration.

Conclusion: This study conclude that lumbar disc degeneration was approximately in women than men who were represented with lower back pain. Minority of patients had normal lumbar MRI findings. Most of the degeneration occurs at the lowest lumbar vertebrae i.e. L4- L5 and patients who were presented with elevated BMI have increased risk of disc degeneration.

Keywords: Lumbar vertebrae, Magnetic resonance imaging, lower back pain. Degenerative disc disease.

DOI: 10.7176/JHMN/90-17

Publication date:June 30^th 2021