title: Association between Cross-sectional Areas of Lumbar Muscles on Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Chronicity of Low Back Pain.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the prognostic value of cross-sectional areas (CSA) of paraspinal (multifidus and erector spinae) and psoas muscles on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in chronicity of low back pain.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-eight subjects who visited our hospital for acute low back pain were enrolled. Review of their medical records and telephone interviews were done. Subjects were divided into two groups; chronic back pain group (CBP) and a group showing improvement within 6 months after onset of pain (IBP). The CSA of paraspinal and psoas muscles were obtained at the level of the lower margin of L3 and L5 vertebrae using MRI.
  
  
  RESULTS
  CSA of erector spinae muscle and the proportion of the area to lumbar muscles (paraspinal and psoas muscles) at L5 level in the CBP group were significantly smaller than that of the IBP group (p<0.05). The mean value of CSA of multifidus muscle at L5 level in the CBP group was smaller than that of the IBP group, but was not statistically significant (p>0.05). CSA of psoas muscle at L5 level and all values measured at L3 level were not significantly different between the groups (p>0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  CSA of erector spinae muscle at the lower lumbar level and the proportion of the area to the lumbar muscles at the L5 level can be considered to be prognostic factors of chronicity of low back pain.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, CHA Bundang Medical Center, CHA University, Seongnam 463-712, Korea.
authors.forename: Hak Il
authors.initials: HI
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Junyoung
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Song
authors.forename: Hee Song
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jin Young
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Minyoung
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Ju Seok
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Ryu