Incidental findings on magnetic resonance imaging of lumbosacral spine in patients with back pain and/orradiculopathy

Araz Rafiq Abdullah; Hayam Yousif Odish; Haveen Azo Mohamedamin

doi:10.15218/zjms.2018.039

Authors

Araz Rafiq Abdullah Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, Hawler Medical University, Erbil, Iraq.
Hayam Yousif Odish Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, Hawler Medical University, Erbil, Iraq.
Haveen Azo Mohamedamin Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, Hawler Medical University, Erbil, Iraq.

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15218/zjms.2018.039

Keywords:

Incidental finding, Extraspinal, Intraspinal, Magnetic resonance imaging

Abstract

Background and objective: An incidental lesion is an asymptomatic lesion found while examining a patient for an unrelated reason. Lumbar spine imaging may reveal either clinically insignificant spine incidental abnormalities and/or extra-spinal Incidental finding that, at times, may even explain the patient’s symptoms. This study aimed to evaluate the frequency and types of incidental findings in lumbosacral magnetic resonance examination and to find the correlation between the frequency distribution of findings in terms of age and sex.

Methods: This cross-sectional study involved 1250 persons who were referred for lumbosacral spine magnetic resonance imaging because of low back pain and/or radiculopathy. The magnetic resonance images were viewed to evaluate the frequency of incidental findings which were divided into extra and intraspinal findings.

Results: Incidental findings were noted in 332 (26.6%) patients of the 1250 comprising 94 (28.3%) males and 238(71.7%) females. Some of them had more than one incidental finding. Cortical and para pelvic renal cysts were the most common extra spinal incidental findings, while vertebral hemangioma was the most common intraspinal incidental finding.

Conclusion: Incidental findings were common in magnetic resonance imaging examination of the lumbar spine, and most were clinically insignificant; however some of these findings may be more significant than the spinal problems being evaluated and can have a significant impact on patient management. Therefore, they should be included in the reports since they will give additional and valuable information.

Metrics

Metrics Loading ...

References

Dilli A, Ayaz UY, Turanl S, Saltas H, Karabacak OR, Damar C, et al. Incidental extraspinal findings on magnetic resonance imaging of intervertebral discs. Arch Med Sci 2014; 10:757–63.

Golding SJ. Radiation Exposure in CT: What Is the Professionally Responsible Approach? Radiology 2010; 255(3):683–6.

Park HJ, Jeon YH, Rho MH, Lee EJ, Park NH, Park SI, et al.Incidental findings of the lumbar spine at MRI during herniated intervertebral disk disease evaluation. Am J Roentgenol 2011; 196(5):1151–5.

Quattrocchi CC, Giona A, Di Martino AC, Errante Y, Scarciolla L, Mallio CA, et al. Extra-spinal incidental findings at lumbar spine MRI in the general population: a large cohort study. Insights Imaging 2013; 4(3):301–8.

Gebara NV, Meltzer DE. Extraspinal findings on lumbar spine MR imaging. J Radiol Case Rep 2009; 3(8):5–13.

Joori SM, Albeer MR, Baldawi DS. Extraspinal incidental findings of spinal MRI. J Fac Med Baghdad 2013; 55(3):219–23.

Fu CJ, Chen HW, Wu CT, Chen LH, Wong YC, Wang LJ, et al. Extraspinal Malignancies Found Incidentally on Lumbar Spine MRI: Prevalence and Etiologies. J Radiol Sci 2013; 38(3):85–91.

Tuncel SA, Çaglı B, Tekataş A, Kırıcı MY, Ünlü E, Gençhellaç H. Extraspinal Incidental Findings on Routine MRI of Lumbar Spine: Prevalence and Reporting Rates in 1278 Patients. Korean J Radiol 2015; 16(4):866–73.

Sobhan M, Samiee M, Asgari Y, Ahmadi M. Incidental Findings of the Lumbar Spine at MRI in Patients Diagnosed with Discopathy. Int J Med Imaging 2016; 4(5):44–7.

Tucker J. The Psoas and Iliacus: Functional Testing; 2009. (Accessed December 14, 2016, at: drjeffreytucker.com/2009/09/the-psoas-and-iliacus-functional-testing).

Nam JK, Park SW, Lee SD, Chung MK. The clinical significance of a retroaortic left renal vein. Korean J Urol 2010; 51(4):276–80.

Hsieh CL, Tiao WM, Chou YH, Tiu CM. Retroaortic left renal vein: Three case reports. J Med Ultrasound 2012; 20(2):115–8.

Maher CO, Piatt JH, Ragheb J, Aldana PR, Gruber DP, Jea AH, et al. Incidental findings on brain and spine imaging in children. Pediatrics 2015; 135(4):1084–96.

Al‐Omari MM, Eloqayli HM, Qudseih HM, Al‐Shinag MK. Isolated lipoma of filum terminale in adults: MRI findings and clinical correlation. J Med Imaging Radiat Oncol 2011; 55(3):286–90.