• B Böhm, H Meinig, A Eckardt, S Schadmand-Fischer, and J Heine.
• Orthopädische Klinik, Johannes-Gutenberg-Universität Mainz. bertramboehm@web.de
• Orthopade. 2005 Nov 1;34(11):1144-9.

BackgroundMRI can be too sensitive for detecting degenerative changes and commonly displays pathology that is not necessarily responsible for the patient's symptoms.MethodsRetrospectively, we investigated MRI findings and results of discography in 23 patients with lower back pain. MRI investigations were performed with a 1.0 and 1.5 Tesla device using T1-weighted and T2-weighted sagittal plane imaging and T2-weighted transverse plane imaging.ResultsOf the 35 degenerated discs, 16 were detected on MRI as having a high intensity zone (HIZ). Eleven of the 35 segments had previous lumbar disc surgery with a HIZ rate of 81.8%, whereas the HIZ rate for unoperated segments was only 29.2%.ConclusionsHIZ is known to be a common lesion found using MRI in lower back pain patients. In operated segments, we found an incidence of 81.8% and in unoperated segments of 28.2%. Discography can discriminate between painful and non-painful discs. With the help of additional parameters such as contrast mean volume and pain characteristics during puncture, the number of false positive discograms can be reduced.

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