The association of lumbar intervertebral disc calcification on plain radiographs with the UTE Disc Sign on MRI.
Uruj ZehraCora BowJason Pui Yin CheungHenry PangWilliam LuDino SamartzisPublished in: European spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society (2017)
This is the first study to compare the UDS on UTE MRI with disc calcification on plain radiographs. Disc calcification was correlated with the UDS on UTE, suggesting that the UDS may represent disc calcification. However, UTE MRI appears to be a more sensitive imaging modality in identifying subtle and unique disc changes that may not be revealed on plain radiographs or conventional MRI. This disconnect may rationalize the significant correlation of UTE with disability in comparison with the conventional imaging, further stressing its potential clinical importance.