• Bernard P Bechara, Vikas Agarwal, John Boardman, Subashan Perera, Debra K Weiner, Nam Vo, James Kang, and Gwendolyn A Sowa.
• Departments of *Orthopaedic Surgery †Radiology ‡Medicine §Psychiatry, and ¶Anesthesiology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA ‖Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center, Veterans Administration Pittsburgh Healthcare System, Pittsburgh, PA; and **Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA.
• Spine. 2014 Mar 15; 39 (6): 469-75.

Study DesignCross sectional study.ObjectiveThe goal of this study is to identify relationships between objectively measured and subjectively scored parameters and reported pain.Summary Of Background DataStudies have demonstrated the unreliability of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based parameters to identify pathological pain generators of chronic low back pain, but they were based on visual inspection and subjective assessment of lumbar disc features. Advancements in computer image analysis provide objective measurements of lumbar disc features.MethodsTwo radiologists evaluated 39 axial and sagittal T1- and T2-weighted MR images of patients with chronic axial low back pain (age, >65 yr) and graded 4 subjective lumbar disc parameters (T2 signal intensity, nucleus shape, Modic changes, and osteophyte formation) whose sum is the cumulative MRI score. Objective parameter, MRI index, was calculated as the product of the measured lumbar disc area and total disc MRI signal intensity. Discs were sorted from least to the most degenerated relative to each parameter. Pearson correlation coefficient and multiple linear regression analysis were performed between the reported pain score and each parameter.ResultsThe most and least degenerated discs in each patient, as assessed by MRI index, had the highest negative and positive correlation coefficient and regression weight contribution, respectively. All subjective parameters had low correlation coefficients and regression goodness of fit.ConclusionAlthough limited by small sample size, the objective parameter, MRI index, can be a potential imaging biomarker used to identify possible pain generators. This study presents a potential new application of MR imaging in identifying pain generators of patients with chronic low back pain.

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