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Lumbar disc degeneration is associated with modic change and high paraspinal fat content - a 3.0T magnetic resonance imaging study

Citation

Teichtahl, AJ and Urquhart, DM and Wang, Y and Wluka, AE and O'Sullivan, R and Jones, G and Cicuttini, FM, Lumbar disc degeneration is associated with modic change and high paraspinal fat content - a 3.0T magnetic resonance imaging study, BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders, 17, (1) Article 439. ISSN 1471-2474 (2016) [Refereed Article]


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Copyright 2016 the Authors. Licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

DOI: doi:10.1186/s12891-016-1297-z

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine is common, with severe disease increasing the risk for chronic low back pain. This cross-sectional study examined whether disc degeneration is representative of a 'whole-organ' pathology, by examining its association with bone (vertebral endplate) and soft tissue (paraspinal muscle fat) abnormalities.

METHODS: Seventy-two community-based individuals unselected for low back pain, had Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). Lumbosacral disc degeneration was determined via the Pfirrmann grading system, a validated method to assess the intervertebral disc, distinguishing the nucleus and annulus, the signal intensity and the height of the intervertebral disc. Modic change and high paraspinal muscle fat content was also measured from MRI.

RESULTS: Severe disc degeneration was associated, or tended to be associated with type 2 Modic change from L2 to L5 (OR range 3.5 to 25.3, p ≤ 0.06). Moreover, severe disc degeneration at all intervertebral levels was associated with or tended to be associated with high fat content of the paraspinal muscles (OR range 3.7 to 14.3, p ≤ 0.09).

CONCLUSION: These data demonstrate that disc degeneration of the lumbar spine is commonly accompanied by Modic change and high fat content of paraspinal muscles, thus representing a 'whole-organ' pathology. Longitudinal studies are required to determine the temporal relationship between these structural abnormalities. Understanding this may have the potential to identify novel targets for the treatment and prevention of lumbosacral disc degeneration.

Item Details

Item Type:Refereed Article
Keywords:Lumbar, Intervertebral disc, Disc degeneration, Modic, Muscle, Fat
Research Division:Biomedical and Clinical Sciences
Research Group:Clinical sciences
Research Field:Rheumatology and arthritis
Objective Division:Health
Objective Group:Clinical health
Objective Field:Clinical health not elsewhere classified
UTAS Author:Jones, G (Professor Graeme Jones)
ID Code:112440
Year Published:2016
Web of Science® Times Cited:42
Deposited By:Menzies Institute for Medical Research
Deposited On:2016-11-10
Last Modified:2022-08-30
Downloads:163 View Download Statistics

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