By Chris Faubel, MD –
Spine. 1984 Sep;9(6):549-51.
A study of computer-assisted tomography. I. The incidence of positive CAT scans in an asymptomatic group of patients.
Wiesel SW, Tsourmas N, Feffer HL, Citrin CM, Patronas N.
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/6495024
Photo courtesy SpineUniverse.com
ABSTRACT
In order to study the type and number of CAT scan abnormalities of the lumbar spine that occur in asymptomatic people, 52 studies from a control population with no history of back trouble were mixed randomly with six scans from patients with surgically proven spinal disease, and all were interpreted by three neuroradiologists in a blinded fashion. Irrespective of age, 35.4% (26.6%, 51.0%, and 31.3%) were found to be abnormal. Spinal disease was identified in an average of 19.5% (23.8%, 22.7%, and 12.5%) of the under 40-year-olds, and it was a herniated nucleus pulposus in every instance. In the over 40-year-old age group, there was an average of 50% (29.2%, 81.5%, and 48.1%) abnormal findings, with diagnoses of herniated disc, facet degeneration, and stenosis occurring most frequently.
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SUMMARY / MY THOUGHTS
I have already posted a collection of articles proving the high prevalence of lumbar pathology via MRI of asymptomatic patients, but what about CAT scans (computed tomography; CT scans)?
