Association of MRI Findings with Paraspinal Muscles Fat Infiltration in Patients with Chronic Low Back Pain: A Multicenter Study

Motivation: Understanding the link between paraspinal muscle changes and common causes is crucial for improving treatment approaches for chronic lower back pain (CLBP), which has diverse underlying factors. Goal(s): Assessing the relationship between MRI findings and paraspinal muscle changes in patients with CLBP. Approach: We prospectively collected lumbar spine MRI images from CLBP patients. Analyses assessed correlations and regressions between MRI findings and paraspinal muscle cross-sectional area (CSA) and proton density fat fraction (PDFF). Results: Degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis (DLS) and intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD) have a significant impact on the increase in the PDFF of paraspinal muscles. Impact: This study provides valuable insights for clinicians, enabling them to implement targeted interventions for CLBP patients based on specific MRI findings and key characteristics of muscle remodeling. By improving prevention and treatment approaches.