MODIC CHANGES IN ADULTS WITH CHRONIC LOW BACK PAIN IN NORTH CENTRAL NIGERIA

Modic changes in the endplates of the vertebral bodies have been associated with low back pain. There is however paucity of information on the pattern of Modic changes in the lumbosacral spine in Nigerians with low back pain. To determine the prevalence of Modic changes in patients with chronic low back pain in our environment. Cross-sectional longitudinal study. University of Ilorin Teaching Hospital, Ilorin, Nigeria. A total of 147 consecutive adults who had MRI of the lumbosacral spine for chronic low back pain were examined for the presence of Modic changes. 35(23.8%) individuals had Modic changes present out of I47 patients with low back pain evaluated.Out of the 735 lumbar vertebral endplates evaluated, 90(12.2%) had Modic changes present. Among the endplates with Modic changes, 36(40%) were type I, been the most common in our sample, while 27(30%) were type II and type III each. This study has shown that Modic changes occurred more frequently at the end plates of lower lumbar vertebrae(L4/L5, and L5/S1) and Type I was the most common while Type II and III had equal prevalence; the changes occurred more frequently with increasing age suggesting these changes are degenerative in nature.