Lumbar Disc Space Height in Young Disc Herniation and Degeneration Patients

Lumbar Intervertebral Disc Space Height in Disc Herniation and Degeneration Patients in Their Early 20s

As low back pain (LBP) imposes a heavy socioeconomic burden, early detection of pathologic intervertebral disc change in young adults holds high clinical relevance as a common structural cause of LBP. The investigators therefore assessed the feasibility of using X-ray disc space height measurements as a predictive evaluation method of lumbar disc herniation (LDH) and degeneration in LBP patients in their early 20s.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Age 20-25 years
• L-spine X-ray and L-spine MRIs taken within a week of the other test
• Native Korean ethnicity

Exclusion Criteria:

• Scoliosis with a Cobb's angle of ≥20°
• Significant vertebral deformity of any etiology (e.g. spondylolisthesis, fracture, spondylitis, neoplasm)
• Previous spinal surgery