title: Magnetic resonance findings of acute severe lower back pain.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine abnormal MRI findings in adults hospitalized with acute severe axial LBP.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty patients with back pain were divided into 3 groups consisting of 1) 23 adults with acute axial severe LBP who could not sit up or stand up for several days, but had not experienced previous back-related diseases or trauma (group A), 2) 19 adults who had been involved in a minor traffic accident, and had mild symptoms but not limited mobility (group B), and 3) 18 adults with LBP with radicular pain (group C)., Various MRI findings were assessed among the above 3 groups and compared as follows: disc herniation (protrusion, extrusion), lumbar disc degeneration (LDD), annular tear, high intensity zone (HIZ), and endplate changes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  THE MRI FINDINGS OF A GROUP WERE AS FOLLOWS: disc herniation (87%), LDD (100%), annular tear (100%), HIZ (61%), and end plate changes (4.4%). The findings of disc herniation, annular tear, HIZ, and LDD were more prevalent in A group than in B group (p<0.01). HIZ findings were more prevalent in A group than in group B or group C (p<0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Patients with acute severe axial LBP were more likely to have disc herniation, LDD, annular tear, HIZ. Among LBP groups, there was a significant association of HIZ on MRI with acute severe axial LBP.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Konkuk University Medical Center, Konkuk University School of Medicine, Seoul 143-729, Korea.
authors.forename: Seon-Yu
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: In-Sik
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Bo-Ram
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jeong-Hoon
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.forename: Jongmin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Seong-Eun
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Koh
authors.forename: Seung Beom
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Seung Lee
authors.initials: SL
authors.lastname: Park