Abstract
Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the association between lumbar intervertebral disc height and degenerative changes on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and then assess its relationship with patients’ clinical complaints.
Design: Cross-sectional observational study.
Setting(s): Single-center imaging-based study.
Participants: A total of 110 patients with low back pain who underwent lumbar MRI.
Interventions: No therapeutic intervention was performed, and lumbar MRI examinations were retrospectively analyzed.
Outcome measures: Intervertebral disc height at the L4–L5 and L5–S1 levels measured on MRI, and its association with disc herniation, disc bulging, Pfirrmann degeneration grade, Modic changes, spinal canal stenosis, radicular pain, and paresthesia.
Results: A total of 110 patients (mean age, 61 years; 52 females and 58 males) were included. Reduced intervertebral disc height was significantly associated with disc herniation (P = 0.002–0.011), radicular pain (P < 0.001), and paresthesia (P < 0.001). Disc height also differed significantly between patients with mild and moderate disc bulging (P = 0.018–0.048), whereas no significant difference was observed between moderate and severe bulging (P > 0.05). Furthermore, disc height showed a significant inverse association with increasing Pfirrmann degeneration grade (P < 0.001) and was significantly lower in patients with spinal canal stenosis than in those without stenosis (P = 0.019–0.030), although no significant differences were found among stenosis severity grades (P > 0.05).
Conclusions: Lumbar intervertebral disc height is a clinically relevant imaging parameter associated with multiple degenerative spinal conditions and pain-related symptoms, and it may be useful for diagnostic evaluation and follow-up assessment.