Prevalencia de discopatía degenerativa de la columna lumbar diagnosticada por resonancia magnética, Hospital "José Carrasco Arteaga" de la ciudad de Cuenca. Enero 2015 - enero 2017

Abstract

General objetive: To establish the prevalence of degenerative disc disease present in the lumbar spine, diagnosed by magnetic resonance in the Hospital "José Carrasco Arteaga" of the city of Cuenca, in the period January 2015 - January 2017.

Methodology: A descriptive-retrospective investigation was made of the results of examinations of patients who attended an MRI of the lumbar spine at the "José Carrasco Arteaga" Hospital in the city of Cuenca, from January 2015 to January 2017. The investigation was carried out with a total of 2018 patients. Results: According to the radiological reports in the period January 2015 - January 2017, 2018 lumbar spinal magnetic resonance examinations were performed, of which 89.6% (1809), report a diagnosis of degenerative disc disease. Of these, 52.4% (948) are male, and 47.6% (861) are female, with an age range between 56 and 75 years. Of the 1809 results of degenerative disc disease of the lumbar spine, 79.6% (1440) presented a primary diagnostic of unspecified lumbago; followed by 9.8% (177) with a prior diagnostic of lumbar intervertebral disc disorders with myelopathy, and 9.2% (167) with lumbago with sciatica. 1.4% (25) had a diagnostic of scoliosis. Degenerative discopathy occurs in five levels depending on the amount of herniated material: bulging, protrusion, herniation, extrusion and sequestration. Of the 1809 results of magnetic resonance imaging of the lumbar spine with a diagnostic of lumbar degenerative disc disease, 63.3% (1145) present herniated material in the degree of protrusion. Like any of the levels of degenerative discopathy, protrusion occurs in two ways: specific and en block. When presented specifically, the most affected is the intervertebral disc L5-S1; when presented as a block, intervertebral discs L3-S1 are affected. Generally disc degeneration, or Modic type change, is completely related to degenerative discopathy. The present investigation shows that only 21.5% presents disc degeneration with diagnosis of degenerative disc disease, while 68.7% do not. Being able to establish, well, that they are pathologies that do not always relate to each other. Conclusion: Magnetic resonance imaging is the ideal study to determine the prevalence of degenerative disc disease, due to the quality of images obtained and the ease of studying both soft tissues and the bony part of the lumbar spine