Prevalencia de discopatía degenerativa en columna lumbar diagnosticada mediante resonancia magnética en pacientes de 25 a 85 años en el Hospital del Río, Cuenca, enero 2022 – junio 2024

Abstract

Background: Degenerative disc disease is a common condition that has had a significant impact on people’s quality of life, becoming one of the most prevalent causes of medical consultation. Low back pain is the most common symptom; approximately 80% of the population will experience this pain at some point in their lives. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), with a sensitivity of 75% and specificity of 77%, has established itself as the diagnostic technique of choice as it is non-invasive, radiation-free, and provides high-resolution images for clinical assessment of bone structures, spinal cord, and adjacent soft tissues. (1)(2)(3) General objective: To determine the prevalence of degenerative disc disease diagnosed by magnetic resonance imaging in patients aged 25 to 85 years at Hospital del Río in Cuenca, from January 2022 to June 2024. Methodology: Descriptive and cross-sectional. Data was collected from radiological reports of patients aged 25 to 85 years who underwent magnetic resonance imaging of the lumbar spine at Hospital del Río from January 2022 to June 2024, totaling 636 radiological reports. Results: Out of 636 lumbar MRI radiological reports, it was determined that 589 patients showed degenerative disc disease (92,6%), being more predominant in males (61,1%), in an age range of 35-44 years (24,4%). The most recurrent lesion was disc protrusion (30,7%) in multiple directions (72,8%), mainly affecting the L4-S1 spinal segments (22,6%).