ArticleMedicine2018
Correlations between Modic change and degeneration in 3-joint complex of the lower lumbar spine: A retrospective study.
Article in Medicine, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
7 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 10 citations in OpenAlex.
- Incidence and risk factors for modic changes in the lumbar spine: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Frontiers in endocrinology · 2025Pooled it
- Prevalence of modic changes in patients with low back pain and association with degenerative spinal findings: a retrospective MRI study.BMC musculoskeletal disorders · 2025Article
- Study and analysis of the correlation between lumbar spondylolisthesis and Modic changes.Frontiers in surgery · 2024Article
- Modic changes as seen on MRI are associated with nonspecific chronic lower back pain and disability.Journal of orthopaedic surgery and research · 2023Review
- K-line tilt as a novel potential risk factor for cervical Modic change: a retrospective study.Journal of orthopaedic surgery and research · 2023Article
- Article
- Accurate prediction of lumbar microdecompression level with an automated MRI grading system.Skeletal radiology · 2021Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
9 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundModic changes (MCs) associated with low back pain (LBP) have been assessed in a few studies. It has been documented that patients with LBP have MCs in a specific segment, but the relationship between facet joint or disc degeneration and MCs is still disputed. Thus, we aimed to evaluate the correlation between MC and facet joint or disc degeneration using imaging.
methodsImaging data of patients were retrospectively analyzed at the Orthopedic Department of the First Affiliated Hospital of Nanchang from January 2014 to August 2017. MCs, facet joint degeneration, and disc degeneration in L3-S1 were evaluated by lumbar MRI. χ test and contingency correlation coefficient were used for the statistical analyses, and a P value < .05 was considered statistically significant.
resultsIn the descriptive statistical analysis, MCs were found to have the highest incidence in the L4-5 segment. Type II MCs had a higher incidence than type I and type III MCs regardless of whether they were in the L3-4, L4-5, or L5-S1 segment. On one hand, MCs were more frequently distributed in grades 3, 4, and 5 of the degenerative lumbar discs regardless of whether they were in the L3-4, L4-5, or L5-S1 segment (P < .000, V: contingency coefficient >0); particularly, type II MCs were closely related to lumbar disc degeneration (P < .05, V > 0). On the other hand, MCs were more frequently distributed in grades 1, 2, and 3 of the degenerative lumbar facet regardless of whether they were in the L3-4, L4-5, or L5-S1 segment (P < .05, V > 0). Particularly, type II MCs were frequently distributed in grades 1, 2, and 3 of the facet joint in the L4-5 and L5-S1 segments (P < .05, V > 0).
conclusionMCs are correlated with the grade of lumbar spine degeneration, including lumbar disc and facet joint degeneration. MCs, especially type II, frequently occurred in severe degeneration of the lumbar disc and facet joint. Thus, MC may be one of the manifestations of lumbar disc and facet joint degeneration.
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