[Radiological assessment of loss of disk height in acute and chronic degenerative lumbar disk changes].
OBJECTIVE
A loss of disc height with increasing segmental mobility is an important reason for low back pain. The measurement of hyaluronic acid content of the nucleus pulposus prolaps shows a difference between acute (group 1) and chronic (group 2) disc degeneration. The purpose of the present investigation was to determine the decreasing of disc height between these two groups and the not-symptomatic segments of these patients.


METHODS
20 human lateral preoperative X-rays measurements according to Frobin et al. [1] were taken; group 1 with 7 patients (mean age 41 years) and group 2 with 13 patients (mean age 44 years).


RESULTS
There was a significant tendency (p = 0.091) to a reduction of disc height in group 2 between symptomatic and asymptomatic discs.


CONCLUSIONS
The used method is not suitable to answer the present question conclusively.
Zöllner
J
J
Orthopädische Universitätsklinik Mainz. zoellner@mail.uni-mainz.de
Löw
R
R
Sancaktaroglu
T
T
Nafe
B
B
Eysel
P
P
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007403:Intervertebral Disc / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D007405:Intervertebral Disc Displacement / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000209:etiology*; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011859:Radiography; D012737:Sex Factors