4 Prior studies have demonstrated that imaging findings of spinal degeneration associated with back pain are also present in a large proportion of asymptomatic individuals. 3 Findings such as disk degeneration, facet hypertrophy, and disk protrusion are often interpreted as causes of back pain, triggering both medical and surgical interventions, which are sometimes unsuccessful in alleviating the patient's symptoms. 2 Advanced imaging (MR imaging and CT) is increasingly used in the evaluation of patients with low back pain. 1 Back pain is associated with high health care costs and has substantial economic consequences due to loss of productivity from back painвЂ“associated disability. Low back pain has a high prevalence in industrialized countries, affecting up to two-thirds of adults at some point in their lifetime. These imaging findings must be interpreted in the context of the patient's clinical condition.

Many imaging-based degenerative features are likely part of normal aging and unassociated with pain. CONCLUSIONS: Imaging findings of spine degeneration are present in high proportions of asymptomatic individuals, increasing with age.

Swift publisher spine features