Contribution of the T2 Turbo Spin Ultrasound Sequence to Low Field Magnetic Resonance Imaging in the Staging of Lumbar Disc Desiccation in Kinshasa Hospitals

Background: Grading intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD) is important in the evaluation of many degenerative conditions, including patients with low back pain, but data on the pathology in sub-Saharan Africa are limited. The objective of this study is to evaluate the contribution of the T2 turbo spin ultrasound sequence on low-field Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) in the staging of lumbar disc desiccation in hospitals in Kinshasa. Methods: Single-center analytical cross-sectional study of lumbar MRI examinations of 81 patients or 405 disc segments, performed over a 16-month period from December 2022 to January 2023 at the Diamant Ngaliema medical center using a 0.4 Tesla MRI. Results: A total of 81 patients were examined by MRI for chronic low back pain. Lumbar disc herniation was common in men (50.6%), in an age range between 50 and 59 years (27.2%). Disc desiccation was ubiquitous in all age groups in more than 85% of cases, with a predominance at the lumbosacral junction (91.4%). Pfirrmann grade II was most commonly found in the 50 - 59 age group, followed by grade III in the 60 - 69 age group and for those over 70 years, grade IV. Conclusion: Lumbar disc degeneration is the hub of degenerative disc diseases that can affect all disc levels at any age, with a predominance in middle-aged and older adults. MRI remains the modality of choice providing precision in the study of lumbar disc degeneration.