Avascular necrosis of the lumbar spine.
Back pain is ubiquitous. Commonly, the etiology of the back pain remains elusive despite many costly tests. We report a patient with back pain who was found to have avascular necrosis (AVN) of the lumbar spine on the magnetic resonance imaging study despite normal x-rays. AVN, although common in the peripheral skeleton, is not widely recognized in the spine until it is evident on plain radiographs. AVN as a source of back pain should be considered in patients with appropriate risk factors, even with normal radiographs.
Siegel
L B
LB
Division of Rheumatology (L.B.S.), Department of Medicine (L.B.S., E.M.A.), Finch University of Health Sciences/The Chicago Medical School.
Alva
E M
EM