title: Lumbar subcutaneous edema and degenerative spinal disease in patients with low back pain: a retrospective MRI study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study was designed to determine the association between LSE, spondylolisthesis, facet arthropathy, lumbar canal stenosis, BMI, radiculopathy and bone marrow edema at conventional lumbar spine MR imaging.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a retrospective radiological study; 441 consecutive patients with low back pain (224 men and 217 women; mean age 57.3 years; mean BMI 26) underwent conventional lumbar MRI using a 1.5-T magnet (Avanto, Siemens). Lumbar MR images were reviewed by consensus for the presence of LSE, spondylolisthesis, facet arthropathy, lumbar canal stenosis, radiculopathy and bone marrow edema. Descriptive statistics and association studies were conducted using STATA software 11.0. Association studies have been performed using linear univariate regression analysis and multivariate regression analysis, considering LSE as response variable.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall prevalence of LSE was 40%; spondylolisthesis (p = 0.01), facet arthropathy (p < 0.001), BMI (p = 0.008) and lumbar canal stenosis (p < 0.001) were included in the multivariate regression model, whereas bone marrow edema, radiculopathy and age were not.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  LSE is highly associated with spondylolisthesis, facet arthropathy and BMI, suggesting underestimation of its clinical impact as an integral component in chronic lumbar back pain. Longitudinal simultaneous X-ray/MRI studies should be conducted to test the relationship of LSE with lumbar spinal instability and low back pain.
authors.affiliation: UOC of Diagnostic Imaging, University Campus Bio-Medico of Rome, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: C C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Quattrocchi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Giona
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Di Martino
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gaudino
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Mallio
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Errante
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Occhicone
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Vitali
authors.forename: B B
authors.initials: BB
authors.lastname: Zobel
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Denaro
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001855:Bone Marrow Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D004487:Edema / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008161:Lumbosacral Region / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011843:Radiculopathy / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013130:Spinal Stenosis / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D013168:Spondylolisthesis / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*