Study Finds Early MRI for Back Pain likely Means longer Disability

Among Washington state workers with lower back pain (LBP), early use of diagnostic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may not result in better outcomes, is associated with increased likelihood of disability and its duration, and may increase health care costs, according to a study published in the Aug. 15 edition of the journal "Spine." The study, "Early Imaging for Acute Low Back Pain: One-Year Health and Disability Outcomes Among Washington State Workers," was a population-based, prospective cohort study, with the objective of evaluating "the association of early imaging and health and disabil...