Data Analysis About Modic Changes In Patients With And Without Low Back Pain

Objective:To analysis the difference of Modic changes on magnetic resonance images (MRI) between people with and without low back pain (LBP) qualitative and quantitative, and to discuss the correlation between LBP and Modic changes.Methods:The retrospective study include47patients who came to our hospital to have a health checkup and with Modic changes in lumbar MRI, and37patients with low back pain and Modic changes at the corresponding period. All patients are less than65, without precious spinal operation history, mental disorder, spondylolisthesis, spinal stenosis, degenerative scoliosis, intervertebral disc herniation, vertebral fracture, infection, neoplasm and other organic diseases that caused low back pain. We also exclude people with multiple level Modic changes, high intensity zone and Schmorl’s Node. Oswestry disability index and visual agalogue scale are used to evaluate the severity of low back pain. We count the level, type, endplate, disc degeneration level and we measure the width of ratio, height, area and signal intensity of Modic changes. At last, we do the correlation analysis between Oswestry disability index as well as visual agalogue scale and the ratio we measure in low back pain group. Results:Among37patients with low back pain,12are Type Ⅰ, and25are Type Ⅱ, while among47patients without low back pain,5are Type Ⅰ, and42are Type Ⅱ. Patients with Modic type Ⅰ are much more likely to occur in low back pain group, which is significant (P=0.027). There are no difference in the ratio of width, height, area and signal intensity between low back pain group and non-low back pain group. Among patients who suffered low back pain, Oswestry disability index are positive correlation with the ratio of width and area of Modic changes, the Pearson correlation coefficient are r=0.403, P=0.006and r=0.346, P=0.020respectively. Visual agalogue scale are positive correlation with the ratio of width, the Spearman correlation coefficient is ρ=0.429, P=0.036.Conclusion:1. Modic type Ⅰ are more likely occurred in patients with low back pain than patients without low back pain.2. There are no difference in the ratio of width, height, area and signal intensity between low back pain group and non-low back pain group.3. Among patients who suffered low back pain, Oswestry disability index are positive correlation with the ratio of width and area of Modic changes, while visual agalogue scale is positive correlation with the ratio of width.