Prevalence and distribution of intervertebral disc degeneration over the entire spine in a population-based cohort: the Wakayama Spine Study

Abstract

The current study established the baseline data of DD over the entire spine in a large population of elderly individuals. These data provide the foundation for elucidating the causes and mechanisms of DD.

Prevalence of degenerative and spondyloarthritis-related magnetic resonance imaging findings in the spine and sacroiliac joints in patients with persistent low back pain

“…In that study of the general Japanese [15] (calculated as a proportional score (0 % = no activity limitation; 100 % = maximum activity limitation) [14], EQ VAS EuroQol visual analogue scale [16] population, disc degeneration was also reported to be more common in the lumbar spine than in the rest of the spine. However, contrary to the results of our study, cervical disc degeneration was more common than thoracic disc degeneration [17]. This difference between the studies could be explained by patients in the current study all having LBP.…”

“…To our knowledge, only one other study, a recent Japanese population-based study, has reported prevalence of MRI findings in the entire spine [17]. The study investigated disc degeneration in a cohort of 975 participants, aged 21-97 years.…”

Dimensional changes of cervical and lumbar bony spinal canals in one generation in Western Switzerland: a computed tomography study

“…Multiple reasons may explain the absence of any statistically significant difference in the cervical spine. Cervical degenerative changes are indeed different from those encountered in the lumbar spine [17,18]. The presence of posterior uncovertebral and facet joint osteophytes, along with the smaller vertebral dimensions in that particular anatomical region may have the consequence that the pedicle levels on axial-oblique reformatted CT images could include, to a certain degree, those osteophytes and, therefore, contribute to smaller CSAs, something that is less likely to occur in the lumbar spine.…”

Spinal Disorders as a Cause of Locomotive Syndrome: The Influence on Functional Mobility and Activities of Daily Living

“…Muraki et al [11] investigated the relationships between lumbar spine degenerative X-ray findings and LBP, but only disc space narrowing in females was associated with LBP. Teraguchi et al [25] reported that intervertebral disc degeneration on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was seen in 90 % of people C50 years old in a communitydwelling cohort with 975 participants. In addition, they showed that intervertebral disc degeneration by itself was not associated with LBP, but the combination of intervertebral disc degeneration and end plate signal change on MRI was highly associated with LBP [26].…”

“…A large population-based cohort study showed that degeneration of intervertebral discs on the MRI was very frequently observed and developed with age in the thoracic spine: 79 % of men and 89 % of women C80 years old had degeneration of the intervertebral discs in the thoracic spine [25]. However, compressive myelopathy due to degeneration is rarer in the thoracic spine than in the cervical spine.…”