MRI

Variability in diagnostic error rates of 10 MRI centers performing lumbar spine MRI examinations on the same patient within a 3-week period

49 Distinct findings were reported related to a distinct pathology Only 1 finding was consistently reported in 9 out of the 10 MRIs 32.7% of interpretive findings only appeared once across all 10 reports 2 exams reported a disc herniation at all five lumbar segments and 1 exam did not report any herniation Central canal […]

Correlation of MRI Findings with Clinical Findings for Lumbar Disc Herniation

Asian Spine J. 2016 Dec;10(6):1115-1121. doi: 10.4184/asj.2016.10.6.1115. Epub 2016 Dec 8. Shumayou Dutta PMID: 27994789 PMCID: PMC5165003 DOI: 10.4184/asj.2016.10.6.1115 Abstract Study design: A single-center prospective study. Purpose: A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan is undeniably the gold standard for the diagnosis of a lumbar disc prolapse. Unfortunately it shares a strong association with incidental findings. […]

Progression of lumbar disc herniations over an eight-year period -a longitudinal MRI study using quantitative measures

BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2016 Jan 15;17(1):26. doi: 10.1186/s12891-016-0865-6. Progression of lumbar disc herniations over an eight-year period in a group of adult Danes from the general population – a longitudinal MRI study using quantitative measures. Kjaer P, Tunset A, Boyle E, Jensen TS. Abstract BACKGROUND: A lumbar disc herniation (LDH) is a localised displacement of […]

MRI Findings of Disc Degeneration are More Prevalent in Adults with Low Back Pain than in Asymptomatic Controls

AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 2015 Dec;36(12):2394-9. doi: 10.3174/ajnr.A4498. Epub 2015 Sep 10. MRI Findings of Disc Degeneration are More Prevalent in Adults with Low Back Pain than in Asymptomatic Controls: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Brinjikji W, Diehn FE, Jarvik JG, Carr CM, Kallmes DF, Murad MH4 Luetmer PH. Abstract BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Imaging features of […]

Effect of Lumbar Disc Degeneration and Low-Back Pain on the Lumbar Lordosis in Supine and Standing: A Cross-Sectional MRI Study

Spine: November 2015 – Volume 40 – Issue 21 – p 1690–1696 Hansen, Bjarke B. MD Abstract Study Design. Cross-sectional study. Objective. To examine the influence of low-back pain (LBP) and lumbar disc degeneration (LDD) on the lumbar lordosis in weight-bearing positional magnetic resonance imaging (pMRI). Summary of Background Data. The lumbar lordosis increases with […]

MRI of the lumbar spine with dedicated G-scan machine in the upright position

Radiol Med. 2015 Jul 28. [Epub ahead of print] Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the lumbar spine with dedicated G-scan machine in the upright position: a retrospective study and our experience in 10 years with 4305 patients. Splendiani A Abstract PURPOSE: To evaluate the pathological changes of the lumbar spine and the instability of the […]

Dr Harshfield DMX Innovators Webinar – Video

This is the presentation of Dr. David Harshfield, M.D. at the DMX Innovators conference held on May 22, 2015. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3tSqT0gvHOw&feature=youtu.be YouTube Link (1:16:33)

Prevalence of disc degeneration, protrusion, bulge and fissure in asymptomatic 20-80 year olds

AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 2015 Apr;36(4):811-6. doi: 10.3174/ajnr.A4173. Epub 2014 Nov 27. Systematic literature review of imaging features of spinal degeneration in asymptomatic populations. Brinjikji W1, Luetmer PH2, Comstock B3, Bresnahan BW4, Chen LE4, Deyo RA5, Halabi S6, Turner JA7, Avins AL8, James K4, Wald JT1,Kallmes DF1, Jarvik JG9. Author information Abstract BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Degenerative changes are commonly found in spine imaging but often occur in […]

MRI-Detected Bone Marrow Changes Linked to Low Back Pain

5/2/15 Action Points   Note that this relatively small study found that specific changes in lumbar bone marrow were associated with low back pain. Be aware that, after adjustment, changes in these marrow findings were not associated with changes in pain, but were associated with changes in disability. Vertebral subchondral bone marrow changes visible on […]

Desire for Certainty, Litigation Fears Drive ER Overimaging

Diana Swift April 07, 2015 Most emergency department physicians order diagnostic imaging tests they know are unnecessary, according to the results of a national survey published online March 23 in Academic Emergency Medicine. A key driver behind these excess scans is the fear of malpractice lawsuits based on missed diagnoses, the researchers found. “The most striking finding of our study […]

Diffusion tensor imaging with quantitative evaluation and fiber tractography of lumbar nerve roots in sciatica

Eur J Radiol. 2015 Apr; 84(4):690-5. doi: 10.1016/j.ejrad.2015.01.006. Epub 2015 Jan 17. Yin Shi PMID: 25631881 DOI: 10.1016/j.ejrad.2015.01.006 Abstract Objective: To quantitatively evaluate nerve roots by measuring fractional anisotropy (FA) values in healthy volunteers and sciatica patients, visualize nerve roots by tractography, and compare the diagnostic efficacy between conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and DTI. […]

The association of combination of disc degeneration, end plate signal change, and Schmorl node with low back pain in a large population study

The Spine Journal Volume 15, Issue 4, 1 April 2015, Pages 622–628 The association of combination of disc degeneration, end plate signal change, and Schmorl node with low back pain in a large population study: the Wakayama Spine Study Masatoshi Teraguchi, MD, PhD Abstract Background context Disc degeneration (DD) reportedly causes low back pain (LBP) […]

MRI instead of physical therapy for low back pain leads to $4,793 higher price

Oh, my aching wallet: MRI instead of physical therapy for low back pain leads to $4,793 higher price By Lenny Bernstein March 27, 2015 Your back hurts (join the club) and you go to see your primary care physician. Most of the time, your doctor will tell you to rest, maybe take some ibuprofen or […]

Abnormal Findings on Magnetic Resonance Images of the Cervical Spines in 1211 Asymptomatic Subjects

Spine. 40(6):392–398, MAR 2015 DOI: 10.1097/BRS.0000000000000775 , , PMID: 25584950 Issn Print: 0362-2436 Publication Date: 2015/03/15 Hiroaki Nakashima; Yasutsugu Yukawa; Kota Suda; Masatsune Yamagata; Takayoshi Ueta; Fumihiko Kato Abstract Study Design. Cross-sectional study. Objective. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence and distribution of abnormal findings on cervical spine magnetic resonance image […]

Do bacteria play an important role in the pathogenesis of low back pain?

ANZ J Surg. 2015 Feb 3. doi: 10.1111/ans.12983. [Epub ahead of print] Do bacteria play an important role in the pathogenesis of low back pain? Fisher TJ, Osti OL. Abstract Considerable interest has been generated recently regarding an alternative hypothesis for the pathogenesis of low back pain and radiculopathy in the presence of intervertebral disc […]

Modic Classifications

Bone Morphology and Modic Classifications – William Morgan, DC VERTEBRAL BODY EDEMA IS A COMMON FINDING on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Though degenerative changes such as bony edema may equate to unimportant background noise for the busy clinician, recent studies have found that vertebral marrow edema is clinically significant and can be a progressive condition. […]

Evaluation of a systematic approach to pediatric back pain: the utility of magnetic resonance imaging

Ramirez N, et al. J Pediatr Orthop. 2015. J Pediatr Orthop. 2015 Jan;35(1):28-32. doi: 10.1097/BPO.0000000000000190. Abstract BACKGROUND: Several studies have suggested that back pain in the majority of pediatric patients does not have an identifiable cause. Many children undergo extensive diagnostic workup that ultimately results in a nonconfirmative diagnosis. The purpose of this study was to […]

MRI in Headache

Michael Eller, Peter J Goadsby Expert Rev Neurother. 2013;13(3):263-273. Abstract and Introduction Abstract Headaches are described as primary, where no contributing cause is found, or secondary, where a discrete lesion or other condition has triggered the phenotype. Primary headache is a common condition; migraine causes much of the morbidity in this population, at great personal […]

Meniscal Lesions May Help ID Patients With Severe Knee OA

Larry Hand January 16, 2015 Physicians may be able to predict which patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA) will be subject to severe pain by determining whether meniscal lesions are contributing to neuropathic pain (NP) in the knee, according to an article published online December 14 in Arthritis Research & Therapy. Using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to make a diagnosis of […]

Interrater and intrarater agreements of magnetic resonance imaging findings in the lumbar spine: significant variability across degenerative conditions.

Spine J. 2014 Oct 1;14(10):2442-8. doi: 10.1016/j.spinee.2014.03.010. Epub 2014 Mar 15. Fu MC1, Buerba RA1, Long WD 3rd1, Blizzard DJ2, Lischuk AW3, Haims AH3, Grauer JN4. Abstract BACKGROUND CONTEXT: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is frequently used in the evaluation of degenerative conditions in the lumbar spine. The relative interrater and intrarater agreements of MRI findings […]