Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Lumbar Spine

Robert S. Zucker; Ger H. Ritsema; Paul J. Drinka; David M. Lefkowitz; E. James Potchen; Michael Brant-Zawadzki; Maureen C. Jensen; Richard A. Deyo

doi:10.1056/NEJM199412013312215

Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Lumbar Spine

Robert S. Zucker, Ger H. Ritsema, Paul J. Drinka, David M. Lefkowitz, E. James Potchen, Michael Brant-Zawadzki, Maureen C. Jensen, Richard A. Deyo

Research output: Contribution to journal › Letter › peer-review

2 Scopus citations

Abstract

To the Editor: Jensen et al. (July 14 issue)¹ found that 64 percent of a group of 98 people without back pain had lumbar-spine disk abnormalities (bulges, protrusions, or extrusions). This result may be a substantial overestimate. How did the authors ensure that their study participants were truly free of symptoms? Participants were recruited from a particular hospital; presumably they were patients or employees and were likely to have a greater awareness of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) than people in general. Given the high cost of MRI, it is conceivable that a substantial number of people with a history of…

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	1525-1526
Number of pages	2
Journal	New England Journal of Medicine
Volume	331
Issue number	22
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJM199412013312215
State	Published - Dec 1 1994
Externally published	Yes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

General Medicine

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title = "Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Lumbar Spine",

abstract = "To the Editor: Jensen et al. (July 14 issue)1 found that 64 percent of a group of 98 people without back pain had lumbar-spine disk abnormalities (bulges, protrusions, or extrusions). This result may be a substantial overestimate. How did the authors ensure that their study participants were truly free of symptoms? Participants were recruited from a particular hospital; presumably they were patients or employees and were likely to have a greater awareness of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) than people in general. Given the high cost of MRI, it is conceivable that a substantial number of people with a history of…",

author = "Zucker, {Robert S.} and Ritsema, {Ger H.} and Drinka, {Paul J.} and Lefkowitz, {David M.} and Potchen, {E. James} and Michael Brant-Zawadzki and Jensen, {Maureen C.} and Deyo, {Richard A.}",

year = "1994",

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T1 - Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Lumbar Spine

AU - Zucker, Robert S.

AU - Ritsema, Ger H.

AU - Drinka, Paul J.

AU - Lefkowitz, David M.

AU - Potchen, E. James

AU - Brant-Zawadzki, Michael

AU - Jensen, Maureen C.

AU - Deyo, Richard A.

PY - 1994/12/1

Y1 - 1994/12/1

N2 - To the Editor: Jensen et al. (July 14 issue)1 found that 64 percent of a group of 98 people without back pain had lumbar-spine disk abnormalities (bulges, protrusions, or extrusions). This result may be a substantial overestimate. How did the authors ensure that their study participants were truly free of symptoms? Participants were recruited from a particular hospital; presumably they were patients or employees and were likely to have a greater awareness of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) than people in general. Given the high cost of MRI, it is conceivable that a substantial number of people with a history of…

AB - To the Editor: Jensen et al. (July 14 issue)1 found that 64 percent of a group of 98 people without back pain had lumbar-spine disk abnormalities (bulges, protrusions, or extrusions). This result may be a substantial overestimate. How did the authors ensure that their study participants were truly free of symptoms? Participants were recruited from a particular hospital; presumably they were patients or employees and were likely to have a greater awareness of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) than people in general. Given the high cost of MRI, it is conceivable that a substantial number of people with a history of…

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DO - 10.1056/NEJM199412013312215

M3 - Letter

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AN - SCOPUS:0027972938

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JO - New England Journal of Medicine

JF - New England Journal of Medicine

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ER -

Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Lumbar Spine

Abstract

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