Evidence map›Paper›PMID 37805519›Full record

SynthesisJournal of orthopaedic surgery and research2023

The correlation between the lumbar disc MRI high-intensity zone and discogenic low back pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Lei Yang, Wenhao Li, Yongdong Yang, He Zhao, Xing Yu

Open access · goldAbstract readMeta-AnalysisSystematic Review
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Journal of orthopaedic surgery and research, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 20 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
20citing papers in PubMed
4.6field-weighted citation impact, top 5% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

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.

2 · The registry

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.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

20 citing papers in PubMed, 19 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
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  7. Advances and challenges in AI-assisted MRI for lumbar disc degeneration detection and classification.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 · 2026
    Review
  8. The pivotal role and intervention strategies of BMAL1 mediated circadian clock dysregulation in intervertebral disc degeneration.Inflammation research : official journal of the European Histamine Research Society ... [et al.] · 2026
    Review
  9. Review
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  11. Review
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  15. ASIC1a mediated nucleus pulposus cells pyroptosis and glycolytic crosstalk as a molecular basis for intervertebral disc degeneration.Inflammation research : official journal of the European Histamine Research Society ... [et al.] · 2025
    Review
  16. Article
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Lei Yang *Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion, Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, Beijing, 100700, China.
Wenhao Li *Department of Orthopedics III, Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, No. 5 Haiyun Warehouse, Dongcheng District, Beijing, 100700, China.
Yongdong YangDepartment of Orthopedics III, Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, No. 5 Haiyun Warehouse, Dongcheng District, Beijing, 100700, China.
He ZhaoDepartment of Orthopedics III, Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, No. 5 Haiyun Warehouse, Dongcheng District, Beijing, 100700, China. zhaohe.2018@tsinghua.org.cn.
Xing YuDepartment of Orthopedics III, Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing University of Chinese Medicine, No. 5 Haiyun Warehouse, Dongcheng District, Beijing, 100700, China. yuxingbucm@sina.com.
Dongzhimen Hospital Affiliated to Beijing University of Chinese Medicine · CNBeijing University of Chinese Medicine · CN

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveThis study aimed to investigate the correlation between the MRI high-intensity zone (HIZ) and the pathogenesis of discogenic low back pain.

methodsLiterature from PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Science Direct, China Knowledge Network, Wanfang Database, and China Biomedical Literature Database was searched until August 2023. Cohort studies including patients with low back pain who underwent lumbar spine MRI and discography, as well as the results evaluating the correlation between HIZ and discography for morphological changes in the disc and pain replication phenomena, were included in the analysis. The literature that met the inclusion criteria was screened, and the methodological quality of the included studies was evaluated. Meta-analysis of the extracted data was performed by using RevMan 5.1.1.

resultsIn total, 28 reports were included in this meta-analysis. There was a statistically significant correlation between a positive HIZ and abnormal disc morphology in discography (OR 28.15, 95% CI [7.38, 107.46], p < 0.00001). Patients with HIZ-positive discs had a significantly higher incidence of consistent pain (71.0%, 969/1365) than those with HIZ-negative imaging (29.0%, 1314/4524) (OR 7.71, 95% CI [5.29, 11.23], p < 0.00001).Segments that were HIZ-positive and had abnormal disc morphology had a higher incidence of consistent pain (86.1%, 230/267) than HIZ-negative subjects (32.2%, 75/233) (OR 14.09, 95% CI [2.12, 93.48], p = 0.006).

conclusionA positive MRI T2-weighted image of the lumbar disc with HIZ indicates disc degeneration. In addition, HIZ may be a specific indicator for the physical diagnosis of discogenic low back pain. A more advanced degree of disc degeneration on the basis of HIZ positivity corresponded to a greater probability of discography-induced consistent pain, whereas the degree of disc degeneration on the basis of HIZ negativity was less correlated with contrast-induced consistent pain.

Indexed as

Intervertebral DiscIntervertebral Disc DegenerationIntervertebral Disc DisplacementLow Back PainHumansLumbar VertebraeLumbosacral RegionMagnetic Resonance ImagingDiscogenic low back painDiscographyHigh-intensity zoneMeta-analysisMRI

Identifiers

PMID37805519
PMCPMC10559531
OpenAlexW4387428214

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.