椎间盘源性下腰痛的影像学诊断

椎间盘内免疫反应或化学性刺激所产生的炎症介质可使间盘内神经组织致敏，即使在没有间盘突出的情况下也可导致腰痛－即椎间盘源性下腰痛，CT／间盘造影与腰椎核磁图像是诊断椎间盘源性下腰痛的重要依据。CT／间盘造影可以详细观察间盘内病变程度；造影过程中出现的诱发痛可以可靠地提示疼痛来源。腰椎核磁图像上纤维环的高信号区、终板信号变化是间盘内炎症反应的影像学表现。结合CT／间盘造影与腰椎核磁图像所提供的信息，对椎间盘源性下腰痛的诊断有极大的帮助。     

腰椎融合区相邻节段无症状退变椎间盘的转归

目的：观察腰椎融合区相邻节段无症状性退变间盘的转归，探讨腰椎融合节段的选择。方法：71例因椎间盘源性腰痛而接受椎阃盘切除、椎间植骨融合术患者，术前均进行仔细的体格检查、MRI和椎间盘造影，对MRI表现和柞间盘造影阳性的节段进行融合，其中53例相邻椎间盘MRI表现正常（A组），18例相邻20个节段为无症状性退变间盘（B组）比较两组术后的临床疗效、疼痛复发以及二次手术率。结果：所有患者均随访2年以上（平均35个月），临床疗效优良率A组为92.4％，B组为77．8％，无统计学差异（P=0.189）。A组中1例因相邻节段间盘发生退变并产生严重症状而进行了二次融合手术：B组叶14例因相邻的无症状性退变间盘退变加重并产生严重症状而接受一次融合手术。结论：柑邻于融合节段的无症状性退变间盘大多数（77.8％）不产生后期的疼痛症状，临床疗效满息、存初次进行融合时，仅融合有症状的退变间盘即可。     

腰椎间盘造影在腰椎间盘源性腰痛诊治中的应用

目的：探讨椎间盘造影对腰椎间盘源性腰痛的诊断价值及椎间融合手术的疗效，研究椎间盘造影对椎间融合节段范围选择的意义。方法：2004年1月至2006年2月对35例具有腰椎间盘源性腰痛症状的患者进行了椎间盘造影，共74个椎间盘。所有病例均行MR和CT检查，观察造影图像和MRI表现，记录诱发痛。35例患者中根据椎间盘造影的结果，行腰椎间融合术20例，并随访手术患者的疗效。结果：35例中20例患者22个椎间盘出现了诱发痛（57．1％），20例诱发痛阳性患者的22个节段均行腰椎间盘融合术，并全部随访，随访时间10个月-2年，平均15个月，按改良MacNab评定标准判断：优13例，良4例，可2例，差1例。15例诱发痛阴性的患者予保守治疗，在同期随访中，5例腰痛完全消失，7例疼痛基本消失，3例疼痛没有变化，甚至加重。6例患者腰椎融合节段相邻的9个椎间盘有MRI异常改变，但造影无诱发痛，即无症状椎间盘，未包括在融合范围之内，在同期的随访中，1例因相邻无症状退变间盘退变加重并产生严重症状而接受融合手术。结论：腰椎间盘造影对椎间盘源性腰痛的诊断和选择治疗方法等方面具有独特的价值，对确定为疼痛原因的椎间隙实施腰椎间融合术可以消除患者的疼痛。在选择融合节段时，仅融合有症状的退变椎间盘即可。     

MRI高信号区与椎间盘造影在椎间盘源性腰痛诊断中的相关性研究

目的 研究腰椎间盘MRI高信号区(HIZ)与椎间盘造影诱发疼痛反应之间的关系,为椎间盘源性下腰痛诊断和治疗提供参考.方法 对37例长期慢性下腰痛、无典型的神经根性症状和体征,且CT证实无椎间盘突出的患者行MRI检查和腰椎间盘造影.分析造影后的X线片和CT片,并结合造影时诱发的疼痛反应,比较其与腰椎间盘MRI高信号区之间的关系.结果 37例患者共行98个腰椎间盘造影,21个椎间盘疼痛反应阳性,其中有HIZ的间盘10个,占47.6%.77个疼痛反应阴性的椎间盘中,有HIZ的间盘29个,占37.6%.纤维环破裂程度分级越高,MRI出现高信号区的比例也越高,说明有高信号区的纤维环破裂程度高,无高信号区的纤维环破裂程度低(P＜0.01);而高信号区与造影疼痛反应阳性之间并无明显一致性(P＞0.05).结论 MRI高信号区在诊断椎间盘源性腰痛中仅为提示性和筛选性的影像学征象,不能替代椎间盘造影的金标准.     

椎间盘造影压力及形态学变化对椎间盘源性腰痛的诊断意义

 目的观察椎间盘源性腰痛患者椎间盘造影阳性率及其造影压力和形态学的变化,研究椎间盘造影压力及形态学变化规律对诊断椎间盘源性腰痛的意义。方法选取2007年8月至2009年10月52例疑为椎间盘源性腰痛的患者,对其MRI显示明显退变的83个椎间盘及作为对照的52个相邻正常椎间盘进行野C冶型臂X线透视引导下压力可控性椎间盘造影。造影过程中观测注射压力及椎间盘形态学变化。依据注射时诱发症状的压力情况分为四组:压力≦30psi、30约压力≦50psi、50约压力≦70psi及压力>70psi。分析不同压力下椎间盘造影阳性率的差异,并根据Adams椎间盘造影形态分型对所造影阳性的椎间盘形态学表现与诱发压力的关系进行统计学分析。结果83个退变椎间盘中46个椎间盘造影阳性,对照组无造影阳性椎间盘。造影阳性退变椎间盘、造影阴性退变椎间盘和对照组椎间盘平均注射压力的差异有统计学意义(F=194.78,P<0.001)。各压力组阳性率的比较,差异有统计学意义(χ²=18.437,P约0.001),而压力≦30psi组和30约压力≦50psi组的差异无统计学意义。造影阳性椎间盘主要为AdamsIII、IV型,III型和IV型椎间盘造影阳性时注射压力的差异有统计学意义(t=3.065,P约0.001)。随椎间纤维环破裂程度的增加,造影压力呈下降趋势。结论压力控制下的椎间盘造影对诊断椎间盘源性腰痛有一定价值。造影阳性椎间盘往往表现为纤维环撕裂或不规则,诱发疼痛的压力与纤维环撕裂的程度具有一定相关性。     

应用椎间盘造影判断腰椎间盘突出症腰痛的来源

[目的]应用椎间盘造影术探讨腰椎间盘突出症患者临床腰痛来源.[方法]137例椎间盘突出症患者根据造影术前MRI表现将椎间盘分为:正常、突出和退变.患者腰痛和腿痛的严重程度应用疼痛视觉模拟评分(VAS评分)判定,分为三组:(1)腰痛为主组;(2)腿痛为主组;(3)腰腿痛并重组.对所有退变的腰椎间盘及至少1个作对照的正常椎间盘进行椎间盘造影检查,如造影过程中诱发一致性腰痛,即认为椎间盘造影阳性.[结果]137例患者总共427个椎间盘行造影检查,其中104个造影阳性.椎间盘造影阳性患者腰痛与腿痛VAS评分无明显差异(P＞0.05),而阴性者腿痛评分高于腰痛评分(P＜0.05).腰痛为主组,腿痛为主组,腰腿痛并重组其造影阳性率分别为79.2%,18.6%,71. 7%.MRI表现为正常、突出和退变的椎间盘其造影阳性率分别是1.4%、48.3%、21.6%(P＜0.05).[结论]盘源性腰痛可能是腰痛明显的椎间盘突出症患者腰痛的主要原因,这种腰痛主要来源于椎间盘突出节段和或邻近退变节段.     

腰椎终板、椎间盘退变及椎间盘造影疼痛激发试验的相关性研究

目的探讨下腰痛患者腰椎终板Modic退变、椎间盘退变及CT引导下腰椎间盘造影疼痛激发试验的相关性.方法对45例下腰痛患者常规行腰椎X线和MR检查,分别按Modic终板退变标准（0～3级）与Pearce椎间盘退变标准（Ⅰ～Ⅴ级）对终板和椎间盘进行评估.在CT引导下对45例患者中的40例（120个椎间盘）进行造影和疼痛激发试验,并按Dallas椎间盘造影分级系统（DDD）测评椎间盘退变程度.采用SPSS 11.5统计学软件分析腰椎终板Modic退变、椎间盘退变与腰椎间盘造影疼痛激发试验之间的相关性.结果40例下腰痛患者的腰椎终板Modic分级与椎间盘退变Pearce分级存在较强的相关性（Pearson x^2=43.326,P=0.000）,与椎间盘造影疼痛激发试验有显著相关性（Pearson x^2=27.858,P=0.000）;椎间盘退变Pearce分级与CT椎间盘造影椎间盘退变Dallas分级也呈较强的相关性.结论腰椎终板Modic退变分级与椎间盘退变Pearce分级密切相关,而与椎间盘疼痛激发试验有显著相关性,提示终板Modic退变可能是下腰痛的原因之一.     

压力控制下椎间盘造影在诊断椎间盘源性疼痛中的应用

目的:评价压力控制下椎间盘造影诊断椎间盘源性疼痛的临床价值.方法:2007年3月-2008年5月,对69例慢性腰痛患者的156个MRI"黑椎间盘"进行压力控制下造影.男26例,女43例;年龄29-48岁,平均39.7岁;病程6-120个月,平均36.1个月.采用椎间盘后外侧人路穿刺,穿刺针针尖到达椎间盘中央后连接压力泵,注射造影剂并连续观察压力变化和患者疼痛反应,记录注射压力和诱发疼痛情况.结果:69例患者156个"黑椎问盘"均完成在压力控制下的造影,同时对73个MRI信号正常的椎间盘造影作为对照.在不设定注射压力限制值情况下,58例(84.06%)共131个(83.97%)"黑椎问盘"造影时出现与平时一致性疼痛,22个出现非一致性疼痛,3个未出现疼痛;4个正常椎间盘出现疼痛.当注射压力≤30psi时,46例(66.67%)共105个(67.31%)"黑椎间盘"有一致性疼痛,未出现非一致疼痛和正常椎间盘疼痛.结论:椎间盘造影是诊断慢性腰痛患者椎间盘源性疼痛的有效方法,但应在较低压下注射和判断阳性结果.     

椎间盘退行性变的生物学治疗

椎间盘退行性变是脊柱退行性疾病的根本原因。腰间盘突出症，颈椎病，椎管狭窄，脊柱滑脱以及间盘源性腰痛的起因均与椎间盘的变性和损伤有密切关系。椎间盘作为脊柱椎体的连接部分具有支持、稳定、运动等多种功能。它的有效功能维持是椎间盘内部生物学改变与外界承重负荷的生物力学改变共同作用的结果。所以，在间盘退行性变的治疗中不仅要强调调整外界的负荷作用，如休息、肌肉锻炼、药物治疗、支具治疗，甚至手术切除间盘、脊柱融合和内固定等，更要从间盘本身的改变中去进一步了解间盘的退变机理，寻找预防和治疗间盘退行性变的根本方法和途径。     

不典型腰椎间盘退变性腰腿痛诊断及治疗分析

目的探讨腰椎间盘退行变所致不典型腰腿痛的诊断及治疗方法。方法 2010-01-2014-09期间治疗腰椎间盘退变性腰腿痛397例患者,对其中52例不典型腰腿痛患者的诊断及治疗方法进行回顾性分析。结果经皮腰椎间盘穿刺造影91个间盘,63个间盘疼痛复制诱发试验阳性。经腰椎kambin三角全内镜下椎间盘内髓核切除微创手术13例,经腰椎间孔全内镜下椎管内直接切除突出间盘组织微创手术10例,PLIF或TLIF手术治疗25例,理疗及肌力锻炼4例。平均随访9.6个月,腰腿痛VAS评分治疗前与治疗后1周、1月及3月时间点比较有统计学意义(P0.01)。治疗后3月疗效MacNab评定:优27例,良20例,可5例,优良率90.38%。结论椎间盘造影和疼痛复制诱发试验是确认腰椎间盘退变不典型腰腿痛责任椎间盘的有效方法,治疗上需依据具体情况选择不同治疗方案。     

A comparison of CT/discography, pain response and radiographic disc height

CT/discograms of 107 low-back patients were classified by annular degeneration, annular disruption, and pain response. These parameters were compared with the heights of the corresponding discs. Disc height correlated significantly with degenerative annular changes. Comparison of the painless and exact reproduction groups at the L5-S1 level showed a significant increase in exact pain reproduction in narrow discs compared with normal discs. Discs demonstrating slight degenerative changes were often painful but narrowing was detected only when degeneration increased to moderate or severe levels. Some severely degenerated discs were painless and only part of the severe group was narrow. Measuring disc height is a poor method for detecting early, painful degeneration changes.     

Pain provocation and disc deterioration by age. A CT/discography study in a low-back pain population

The computed tomography (CT)/discograms and discographic pain provocation reports of 291 clinical patients, 790 discs (mean age, 38; range, 17-79) were collected. The CT/discograms were classified separating anular disruption and degeneration and recording the pain provoked during discography as no pain, dissimilar, similar, or exact reproduction of the patient's clinical pain. Nondegenerated discs usually were found to be painless, and deteriorated discs painful. The proportion of severely degenerated but painless discs increased with age, as did the discs producing dissimilar pain. This may help explain the poor correlation of low-back pain with radiographic degenerative changes reported in previous epidemiologic studies.     

Low-back pain and sciatica following total hip replacement: a report of two cases

Two cases of low-back pain and sciatica following total hip replacement are reported. Both patients were operated upon and after lumbar decompression were free of pain. A theory is presented to suggest that the lengthening of the limb after total hip replacement puts excess tension on the spinal nerves and, in conjunction with preexisting degenerative disc disease, will precipitate low-back pain and sciatica.     

Success of lumbar microdiscectomy in patients with modic changes and low-back pain: a prospective pilot study

STUDY DESIGN: Prospective case controlled. OBJECTIVE: To determine the outcome after microdiscectomy in patients with disc herniation, concordant sciatica, and low-back pain with Modic I and II degenerative changes compared with similar patients without Modic changes. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: The decision to perform a microdiscectomy versus a fusion or total disc replacement in a patient with a disc herniation and sciatica may be confounded by the presence of low-back pain, degenerative disc disease, and marrow and endplate (Modic) changes. METHODS: Thirty consecutive patients underwent a microdiscectomy by a single surgeon. Group 1 consisted of 15 patients, 6 men and 9 women, with a mean age of 36.7 years (range, 21 to 48 y), with Modic I and II changes. Group 2 contained 15 patients, 9 men and 6 women, with a mean age of 34.1 years (range, 20 to 68 y), without Modic changes. The average duration of low-back pain before surgery was 25.6 months (range 4 to 120 mo) in group 1 and 17.5 months (range 5 to 120 mo) in group 2. The visual analog scale (VAS) was used to grade low-back pain and the Oswestry score was used to grade overall disability. RESULTS: There was no significant difference in preoperative sciatica, low-back pain, VAS or Oswestry scores for group 1 versus group 2 patients. Postoperatively, all patents had improved sciatica and resolution of any nerve tension sign. Eighty-six percent of patients in group 1 versus 93% of patients in group 2 had improvements in postoperative VAS score for low-back pain at 6 months. Average improvement within each group was 67% and 75%, respectively. VAS scores for low-back pain at 6 months improved from 6.9 to 2.3 (P=0.0005) in group 1 and 6.3 to 1.6 (P=0.0002) in group 2. Group 1 and 2 had 89% and 100% of patients show improvement in postoperative Oswestry score at 6 months with an average improvement of 58% and 84%, respectively. Oswestry scores at 6 months improved from 68.7% to 28.8% (P=0.0007) in group 1 and 61.2% to 9.9% (P=0.00003) in group 2. CONCLUSIONS: There was a trend toward greater improvement in Oswestry scores in patients without Modic changes (P=0.09). Both groups reported statistically significant improvement in sciatica, low-back pain, and disability after microdiscectomy. Microdiscectomy was therefore an effective treatment for disc herniation and concordant sciatica despite low-back pain and Modic I and II degenerative changes. LEVELS OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic II.     

The stress lumbar discogram

Stress discography is that done during the time in which the subject's pain is present at a significant level of intensity. This prospective study examines the findings in 200 patients who were evaluated for low-back pain. A standardized injection technique was used and the contrast pattern within the disc was studied radiographically and with CT scanning. Pain response was recorded. Familiar low-back pain was reproduced in all cases, and familiar leg pain in 46% of cases. Of 549 discs studied, 319 reproduced familiar pain, an average of 1.6 discs per patient. Pain reproduction occurred in 69% of the L5 discs, 62% of the L4 discs, and 25% of the L3 discs. Internal disc disruption was present in 302 discs, but extruded annular material was found in only 19. Stress discography is a useful diagnostic study in evaluating patients with low-back pain.     

The relationship of pain provocation to lumbar disc deterioration as seen by CT/discography

The CT/discographic findings from 225 discs in 91 low-back pain patients were compared to the pain provocation during the injection of contrast into the disc. The radiographic appearance of disc deterioration demonstrating disc degeneration and annular disruption of each disc was classified separately using a fourpoint scale: normal, slight, moderate, or severe. Pain reaction to the discogram at each level was recorded as follows: no pain, dissimilar pain, similar pain, or exact reproduction of the patient's clinical pain. This more precise analysis demonstrated a significant relationship between pain and deterioration of discs. The CT/discogram presents an axial view of the disc that allows a subgrouping of disc deterioration that can discriminate between peripheral deterioration (degeneration) and internal deterioration (disruption). The disruption supposedly occurs earlier and is more likely to be the source of exact pain reproduction.     

Magnetic resonance imaging in the diagnosis of disc degeneration: correlation with discography

One hundred and one disc levels in 36 patients with low-back pain were studied with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) (T2-weighted) sagittal images and conventional roentgenographic discography to detect early disc degeneration. Thirty-nine discs also were evaluated after discography with roentgenographic CT MRI findings were compared with discography results. MRI was 99% accurate in predicting normality or abnormality as determined by discography. Changes in disc signal on MRI accurately reflected the presence or absence of degenerative changes seen on discography in patients with low-back pain. Clinically, MRI is a useful technique for detecting early disc degeneration and for assessing the affected disc level and adjacent levels in patients with low-back pain and spondylolithesis.     

Bony vibration stimulation: A new,non-invasive method for examining intradiscal pain

Summary Fifty-seven patients with low-back pain were evaluated immediately prior to a discography examination by means of an electrical tool which produced bony vibration to the lumbar spinal processes. The vibrator was composed of a standard electric toothbrush shaft (Braun) with a blunt head instead of the brush. The lumbar spinal processes were compressed one by one for a few seconds with this blunt, vibrating tool. The patient's pain experience provoked by vibration was compared with that from injections during discography. A good correlation was found between these two examinations when patients with previously operated backs and painful, prolapsed discs were excluded: sensitivity was 0.96 and specificity 0.72. Prolapsed, but discographically painful discs were always painless in the vibration examination. The local, non-invasive bony vibration stimulation test is an easy, quick, safe, inexpensive and reliable method for examining intradiscal pain.     

Computed tomography, electrodiagnostic and clinical findings in chronic workers' compensation patients with back and leg pain

One hundred patients with complaints of low-back pain and leg pain, consistent with a diagnosis of sciatica, were evaluated. All patients had complaints for longer than 6 months and had recently undergone electrodiagnostic testing and computed tomography (CT). Correlation was made between symptoms, straight leg raising, clinical neurological deficits, electrodiagnostic and CT findings. The radiation of pain above or below the knee and pain on straight leg raising did not show a high correlation with each other or with neurological deficits or CT findings. Electrodiagnostic studies often defined a radiculopathy in patients with equivocal clinical signs. CT findings did not predict the nature of symptoms or clinical and electrodiagnostic findings. Electrodiagnostic abnormalities showed the greatest ability to predict CT abnormalities. It is concluded that in chronic sciatica patients, no single diagnostic parameter is conclusive and a combination of clinical and laboratory findings is necessary to reach a diagnosis. In addition, many assumptions, valid in patients with acute pain cannot be extrapolated to patients with chronic sciatica.     

Cytokine evaluation in individuals with low back pain using discographic lavage

Background contextThe pathophysiology underlying degenerative disc disease and its implication in painful syndromes remain unclear. However, spine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can demonstrate changes in disc water content and the annulus; provocative discography purportedly identifies degenerate discs causing serious low back pain; and biochemical assays have identified local inflammatory markers. No study to date has correlated pain on disc injection during discography evaluation with relevant MRI findings and biochemical markers.PurposeThe purpose of this study was to correlate concordant pain on during discography to biochemical markers obtained by disc lavage and MRI findings.Study designThis is a Phase 1 Diagnostic Test Assessment Cohort Study (Sackett and Haynes).Patient sampleThe patient sample included 21 symptomatic patients with suspected discogenic pain and three Phase 1 control subjects.Outcome measuresThe outcome measures included discography pain scores, MRI degenerative grades, and immunoreactivity to various inflammatory cytokine concentrations present in disc lavage samples.MethodsTwenty-one symptomatic patients with lumbar degenerative disc disease and three control subjects underwent discography, MRI, and biochemical analysis of disc lavage fluid. Lumbar MRI was scored for Pfirrmann grading of the lumbar discs, and annular disruption was identified by nuclear disc lavage. Disc lavage samples were analyzed for biochemical markers by high-sensitivity immunoassay.ResultsEighty-three discs from 24 patients were studied: 67 discs from 21 patients with axial back pain (suspected discogenic pain group) and 16 discs from 3 scoliosis patients without back pain (Phase 1 control subjects). Among the biochemical markers surveyed, interferon gamma (IFN-γ) immunoreactivity was most consistently identified in patients with axial back pain. Discs with annular disruption and concordant pain reproduction at a visual analog scale of 7 to 10/10 had greater IFN-γ immunoreactivity than those without this finding (p=.003); however, at least some IFN-γ immunoreactivity was found in all but one disc in the symptomatic group.ConclusionsAmong the potential inflammatory markers tested in this Phase 1 study, IFN-γ immunoreactivity was most commonly elevated in discogram “positive” discs but absent in asymptomatic controls. However, this marker was also frequently elevated in degenerative but “negative” discography discs. From these findings, Phase 2 and Phase 3 validity studies are reasonable to pursue. Phase 4 utility studies may be performed concurrently to assess this method's predictive value in outcome studies.