Diagnostic Performance of Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Lumbar Disc Prolapse With Focal Neurological Deficits

Abstract

Introduction: A magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan is now theaccepted gold standard for the diagnosing a lumbar disc prolapse. In this study, we aimed to determine the degree to which a 1.5 Tesla MRI corresponds with the clinical features and findings in cases of lumbar disc prolapse with focal neurological deficits. Materials and methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted at PBM Hospital, a tertiary-care institution between July 2018 and July 2020. Over a two-year period, 150 consecutively sampled patients with lumbar disc prolapse were included in this study. All the patients were subjected to a 1.5 Tesla MRI scan. Observations: Out of the total 150 referred patients for low back ache with neurological deficits, 135 (90%) patients were diagnosed with disc prolapse by our reference standard, of which 128 patients (85.33%) were positively diagnosed by magnetic resonance imaging. The calculated sensitivity was 94.81% and specificity was 80.00% with an accuracy of 90.37% .Results:  All of the patients referred to us with chronic low back ache and focal neurological deficits had degenerative findings at various lumbar spinal levels. 1.5 T MRI for patients with low back ache with focal neurological deficits has high accuracy and can be used for detailed evaluation of the etiology of the symptoms, for precise clinical management decisions and for preoperative surgical planning.