Posterior Subcutaneous Edema at Lumbar Spine MRI: A Systematic Review

Carlo A Mallio; Claudia Volterrani; Massimo Stiffi; Valeria Mancuso; Caterina Bernetti; Federico Greco; Carlo C Quattrocchi; Paul M Parizel; Johan Van Goethem; Bruno Beomonte Zobel

doi:10.1016/j.acra.2024.04.018

Posterior Subcutaneous Edema at Lumbar Spine MRI: A Systematic Review

Acad Radiol. 2024 Apr 24:S1076-6332(24)00227-7. doi: 10.1016/j.acra.2024.04.018. Online ahead of print.

Affiliations

¹ Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico, Rome, Italy (C.A.M., C.V., M.S., V.M., C.B., B.B.Z.); Research Unit of Radiology, Department of Medicine and Surgery, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Rome, Italy (C.A.M., C.V., M.S., V.M., C.B., F.G., B.B.Z.). Electronic address: c.mallio@policlinicocampus.it.
² Fondazione Policlinico Universitario Campus Bio-Medico, Rome, Italy (C.A.M., C.V., M.S., V.M., C.B., B.B.Z.); Research Unit of Radiology, Department of Medicine and Surgery, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Rome, Italy (C.A.M., C.V., M.S., V.M., C.B., F.G., B.B.Z.).
³ Research Unit of Radiology, Department of Medicine and Surgery, Università Campus Bio-Medico di Roma, Rome, Italy (C.A.M., C.V., M.S., V.M., C.B., F.G., B.B.Z.); Department of Radiology, Cittadella della Salute Azienda Sanitaria Locale di Lecce, Italy (F.G.).
⁴ Centre for Medical Sciences - CISMed, University of Trento, Trento, Italy (C.C.Q.).
⁵ Royal Perth Hospital (RPH), Perth, Australia (P.M.P.); Medical School, University of Western Australia (UWA), Perth, Australia (P.M.P.).
⁶ Department of Radiology, Antwerp University Hospital, Edegem, Belgium (J.V.G.).

PMID: 38664147
DOI: 10.1016/j.acra.2024.04.018

Abstract

Rationale and objectives: Edema in the subcutaneous soft tissue of the lumbar spine is a frequent incidental finding in spinal magnetic resonance imaging, however, its exact explanation is yet to be determined. The aim of this paper is to provide a systematic literature review on posterior lumbar subcutaneous edema (LSE).

Materials and methods: The present systematic literature search was carried out in October 2023 using electronic databases: PubMed, Cochrane library, and Scopus.

Results: The current evidence suggests that lumbar edema is correlated with clinical data such as weight and age, and potentially female sex. Moreover, LSE is related to several specific conditions, including both systemic and spinal disorders, such as heart or kidney disorders, as well as low back pain and degenerative and/or inflammatory diseases.

Conclusion: It is important to be aware that there is an association between LSE and a variety systemic and spinal disorders.

Keywords: Edema; Low back pain; Lumbar spine; MRI; Obesity.

Publication types

Review