|
KMID : 1103720130680040343
|
|
Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
2013 Volume.68 No. 4 p.343 ~ p.350
|
|
|
Posterior Lumbar Subcutaneous Edema on Spine Magnetic Resonance Images: What Is the Cause?
|
|
Han Ga-Jin
Lee In-Sook
Han In-Ho
Lee Jung-Sub
Moon Tae-Yong
Song Jong-Woon
|
|
|
Abstract
|
|
|
Purpose: Posterior lumbar subcutaneous (PLS) edema on spine magnetic resonance (MR) images is a common incidental, though neglected finding. This study was undertaken to investigate the relations between PLS edema and pathologic conditions.
Materials and Methods: Between January and December 2009, 138 patients with PLS edema, but without a spinal tumor or a history of recent surgery or trauma, and 80 infectious spondylitis patients without PLS edema were enrolled in this retrospective study. Available medical records and lumbar spine MR images were evaluated. The degree of edema was quantified using an arbitrary scoring system. Further, the correlations between the degree of edema and age, sex, body mass index (BMI), degeneration of posterior spinal structures (PSS) and infectious spondylitis were analyzed.
Results: Of the 93 cases with a calculable BMI, 61 (66%) had a BMI of > 23 kg/m2. Correlations between the degree of edema and sex, age and BMI grade were all statistically non-significant. Thirty-three cases (24%) had an underlying disease, such as heart problem, diabetes mellitus, liver cirrhosis, chronic renal failure, extra-spinal tumor or connective tissue disorder. The numbers of cases with infectious spondylitis and an idiopathic condition was 61 (44%) and 44 (32%), respectively. The grade of infectious spondylitis was not found to be significantly associated with the degree of edema (p = 0.084). In cases with an idiopathic condition, the correlation between the degree of edema and PSS degeneration was statistically significant (p = 0.042).
Conclusion: Radiologists should not disregard PLS edema, because it is related to an underlying disease and thus may be of clinical significance.
|
|
|
KEYWORD
|
|
|
Edema, Lumbosacral Region, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Back Pain, Infectious Spondylitis
|
|
|
FullTexts / Linksout information
|
|
|
|
|
|
Listed journal information
|
|
  
|
|