Dynamic Imaging of the Lumbar Spine

Low back pain afflicts roughly two thirds of all adults at some time, making it second only to upper respiratory problems as the leading health care complaint in America [1]. Often low back pain goes undiagnosed. Association of symptoms with imaging results is weak [2]. Thus, “If...an anatomical diagnosis for low back conditions is impossible 80%–90% of the time, being able to differentiate normal spinal function from what is abnormal may be fundamental in creating a diagnosis based on spinal function rather than aberrant anatomy” (page 57) [3].