The 1000 lumbar spine radiograph study

  • Authors

    • Glorianne Pullicino University of Malta
    • Jessica Pavia University of Malta
    • Paul Sciortino University of Malta
    • Ahmed Chilmeran Mater Dei Hospital
    • Philip Sciortino University of Malta
    • Richard Pullicino The Walton Centre, Liverpool
    2017-03-07
    https://doi.org/10.14419/ijm.v5i1.7322
  • Community Health Systems, Health Services Research, Low Back Pain, Primary Care, Radiology.

  • Abstract

    Magnetic resonance imaging is being increasingly used to optimize the diagnostic process for low back pain and to manage the risk of missing life-threatening pathology. The aim of the study was to examine the care pathway of low back pain with respect to the utilisation of CT and MRI service utilisation. A descriptive, retrospective, cross-sectional study was performed. A random sample of 1000 primary care patients presenting with low back pain who underwent lumbar spine radiography within a specified period was explored. 20% (n=198) of patients who underwent lumbosacral spine X-ray were referred for MRI investigation. Subsequently, 15 (7.6%) patients underwent joint infiltration whilst 6 (3%) patients underwent neurosurgical intervention during 2 years of follow-up. Such findings provide information for policy makers about the utility of MRI and CT scans.

  • References

    1. [1] Arnbak B, Jensen RK, Manniche C, Hendricks O, Kent P, Jurik AG and Jensen TS (2016) Identification of subgroups of inflammatory and degenerative MRI findings in the spine and sacroiliac joints: a latent class analysis of 1037 patients with persistent low back pain. Arthritis Research & Therapy, 18(1), p.2163. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13075-016-1131-x.

      [2] Arnbak B, Jensen TS, Egund N, Zejden A, Hørslev-Petersen K, Manniche C and Jurik AG (2015) Prevalence of degenerative and spondyloarthritis-related magnetic resonance imaging findings in the spine and sacroiliac joints in patients with persistent low back pain. European Radiology, 26(4), pp.1191–1203. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00330-015-3903-0.

      [3] Brinjikji W, Diehn FE, Jarvik JG, Carr CM, Kallmes DF, Murad MH and Luetmer PH (2015) MRI Findings of Disc Degeneration are More Prevalent in Adults with Low Back Pain than in Asymptomatic Controls: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. AJNR. American journal of neuroradiology, 36(12), pp.2394–2399. https://doi.org/10.3174/ajnr.A4498.

      [4] Cawthon PM (2011) Gender Differences in Osteoporosis and Fractures. Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research®, 469(7), pp.1900–1905. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11999-011-1780-7.

      [5] Groenewegen PP (2013) Analyzing European health systems: Europe as a research laboratory. European journal of public health. https://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/ckt032.

      [6] Keshtkaran A, Bagheri MH, Ostovar R, Salari H, Farokhi MR, Esfandiari A and Yousefimanesh H (2012) Developing Criteria for Lumbar Spine Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) Using RAND Appropriateness Method (RAM). Iranian journal of radiology: a quarterly journal published by the Iranian Radiological Society, 9 (3), pp.130–138. https://doi.org/10.5812/iranjradiol.4063.

      [7] Pullicino G, Sciortino P, Calleja N, Schäfer W, Boerma W and Groenewegen P(2015) Comparison of patients' experiences in public and private primary care clinics in Malta. European journal of public health, 25 (3), pp.399–401. https://doi.org/10.1093/eurpub/cku188.

      [8] Pullicino G, Sciortino P, Camilleri L, Schäfer W and Boerma W(2016) The Influence of Patient Characteristics on Healthcare-Seeking Behavior: A Multilevel Analysis of 70 Primary Care Practices in Urban-Suburban Regions in Malta.Quality in primary care, 24 (3), pp.106–110.

      [9] Schäfer WLA (2016) Primary care in 34 countries: perspectives of general practitioners and their patients. NIVEL.

      [10] West W, West KP, Younger EN and Cornwall D (2010) Degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine on MRI. West Indian Medical Journal, 59(2), pp.192–195.

  • Downloads

  • How to Cite

    Pullicino, G., Pavia, J., Sciortino, P., Chilmeran, A., Sciortino, P., & Pullicino, R. (2017). The 1000 lumbar spine radiograph study. International Journal of Medicine, 5(1), 94-96. https://doi.org/10.14419/ijm.v5i1.7322

    Received date: 2017-02-05

    Accepted date: 2017-03-01

    Published date: 2017-03-07