ArticlePain medicine (Malden, Mass.)2016
Trunk Muscle Size and Composition Assessment in Older Adults with Chronic Low Back Pain: An Intra-Examiner and Inter-Examiner Reliability Study.
Article in Pain medicine (Malden, Mass.), 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 16 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
16 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.
- Automatability and validity of methods for the quantification of intra-/Intermuscular adipose tissue in conventional MRI: a systematic review.BMC medical imaging · 2025Pooled it
- Imaging Evaluation of Fat Infiltration in Paraspinal Muscles on MRI: A Systematic Review with a Focus on Methodology.Orthopaedic surgery · 2021Pooled it
- Changes in the macroscopic morphology of hip muscles in low back pain.Journal of anatomy · 2020Pooled it
- Article
- The association of lumbar paraspinal muscle size and quality with physical function, disability, and pain in adults with chronic low back pain.JOSPT open · 2026Article
- Development and reliability of a systematic method to evaluate lumbar paraspinal muscle size and quality in computed tomography images.North American Spine Society journal · 2025Article
- Prognostic Value of Sarcopenia in Elderly Patients with Metastatic Non-Small-Cell Lung Cancer Undergoing Radiotherapy.Current oncology (Toronto, Ont.) · 2024Article
- Article
- Comparison of paraspinal muscle composition measurements using IDEAL fat-water and T2-weighted MR images.BMC medical imaging · 2023Article
- Low lumbar multifidus muscle status and bone mineral density are important risk factors for adjacent segment disease after lumbar fusion: a case-control study.Journal of orthopaedic surgery and research · 2022Article
- Inter-examiner reliability in identifying lumbar paraspinal muscle atrophy by lumbar paraspinal muscle atrophy index, a novel parameter.Journal of physical therapy science · 2022Article
- Quantifying Dysfunction of the Lumbar Multifidus Muscle After Radiofrequency Neurotomy and Fusion Surgery: A Preliminary Study.Journal of engineering and science in medical diagnostics and therapy · 2020Article
- Comparative study of the paraspinal muscles after OVF between the insufficient union and sufficient union using MRI.BMC musculoskeletal disorders · 2018Article
- Paradigm Shift in Geriatric Low Back Pain Management: Integrating Influences, Experiences, and Consequences.Physical therapy · 2018Review
- Trunk Muscle Characteristics of the Multifidi, Erector Spinae, Psoas, and Quadratus Lumborum in Older Adults With and Without Chronic Low Back Pain.The Journal of orthopaedic and sports physical therapy · 2017Article
- Multifidi Muscle Characteristics and Physical Function Among Older Adults With and Without Chronic Low Back Pain.Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation · 2017Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
Abstract
objectiveTo evaluate intra- and inter-examiner reliability for the assessment of relative cross-sectional area, muscle-to-fat infiltration indices, and relative muscle cross-sectional area, i.e., total cross-sectional area minus intramuscular fat, from T1-weighted magnetic resonance images obtained in older adults with chronic low back pain.
designReliability study. SUBJECTS: n = 13 (69.3 ± 8.2 years old)
methodsAfter lumbar magnetic resonance imaging, two examiners produced relative cross-sectional area measurements of multifidi, erector spinae, psoas, and quadratus lumborum by tracing regions of interest just inside fascial borders. Pixel-intensity summaries were used to determine muscle-to-fat infiltration indices; relative muscle cross-sectional area was calculated. Intraclass correlation coefficients were used to estimate intra- and inter-examiner reliability; standard error of measurement was calculated.
resultsIntra-examiner intraclass correlation coefficient point estimates for relative cross-sectional area, muscle-to-fat infiltration indices, and relative muscle cross-sectional area were excellent for multifidi and erector spinae across levels L2-L5 (ICC = 0.77-0.99). At L3, intra-examiner reliability was excellent for relative cross-sectional area, muscle-to-fat infiltration indices, and relative muscle cross-sectional area for both psoas and quadratus lumborum (ICC = 0.81-0.99). Inter-examiner intraclass correlation coefficients ranged from poor to excellent for relative cross-sectional area, muscle-to-fat infiltration indices, and relative muscle cross-sectional area.
conclusionsAssessment of relative cross-sectional area, muscle-to-fat infiltration indices, and relative muscle cross-sectional area in older adults with chronic low back pain can be reliably determined by one examiner from T1-weighted images. Such assessments provide valuable information, as muscle-to-fat infiltration indices and relative muscle cross-sectional area indicate that a substantial amount of relative cross-sectional area may be magnetic resonance-visible intramuscular fat in older adults with chronic low back pain.
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