Technical development of the psoas major muscle MR elastography for non-specific low back pain

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K09579
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 56020:Orthopedics-related
• Research Institution: Tokyo Metropolitan University
• Principal Investigator: Numano Tomokazu 東京都立大学, 人間健康科学研究科, 教授 (10399511)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: エラストグラフィ / MRエラストグラフィ / MR elastography / MRE / 非特異的腰痛 / ディクソン法 / Dixon法

Outline of Final Research Achievements

Increased stiffness of the muscle due to continuous local contraction may be an important cause of non-specific low back pain (LBP). In this reserch　demonstrated the successful application of psoas major muscle-MRE and Dixon imaging simultaneously. This results revealed that wave images showed wave propagation under the following conditions: A narrow vibration pad placed under the body of the individual in the supine position, along the lumbar spine; axial image at the level of L3/L4; and MEG-like effect in the A-P direction. Fat images can be obtained by the Dixon method, which is obtained simultaneously with MRE, so that fatty degeneration of the psoas muscle can also be evaluated. The new MRE sequence developed in this study can be an integrated diagnostic imaging method to determine the cause of back pain.

Free Research Field

画像診断技術学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

厚生労働省の「国民生活基礎調査-平成25 年-」によれば、国民の31%は何らかの自覚症状を抱えており、男性では「腰痛」の有訴者率が最も高く、女性は「肩こり」に次いで「腰痛」となっている。非特異的腰痛の原因に「大腰筋の拘縮」が示唆されていたが、これまでの技術ではその硬さを定量的に評価することが困難であった。そこでMREを大腰筋に適用することで非特異的腰痛の診断を可能にする新しい画像診断技術を開発した。