J Korean Acad Rehabil Med.  1997 Apr;21(2):376-383.

Comparisons between Clinical, Radiologic and Electrodiagnostic Findings in the Low Back Pain Patients

• Park HS
• Kim KT
• Kim GC
• Jeong HJ
• Huh JD

Abstract

The authors reviewed the diagnostic use of clinical findings on physical examination, electrodiagnostic data, and radiologic findings including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in 55 patients with low back pain (LBP). Radiologic parameters included the lumbar lordosis, lumbosacral joint angle, and disc height narrowing. Clinical parameters included straight leg raising test, motor and sensory tests, and deep tendon reflxes (DTRs) on physical examination. MRI findings were classified 6 categories as bulging, protruded, extruded, sequestered, normal, and multiple level. In 35 cases of radiculopathy group, the severity of herniated intervertebral disc was well correlated with some of clinical and radiologic parameters, such as motor weakness, sensory or DTR abnormalities, and L5/S1 disc height. There was no correlations between MRI and electrodiagnostic findings on the site of the root lesions in all but 10 cases(18.2%). We suggest that the electrodiagnostic studies should be performed routinely as part of LBP evaluation for the identification of site and degree of radiculopathy.

Keyword

Low back pain; Radiculopathy; Magnetic resonance imaging; Electrodiagnostic findings

MeSH Terms

Animals
Humans
Intervertebral Disc
Joints
Leg
Lordosis
Low Back Pain*
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Physical Examination
Radiculopathy
Tendons