Joseph Mochama Abuya et. al. http://www.jsirjournal.com March-April 2013 | Vol 2 |Issue 2 Journal of Scientific & Innovative Research 251 VOLUME 2 ISSUE 2 ISSN: 2320-4818 JOURNAL OF SCIENTIFIC & INNOVATIVE RESEARCH ORIGINAL RESEARCH ARTICLE Common Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) patterns in patients with low back pain in Eldoret, Kenya Juliette A. Orege, Joseph Mochama Abuya*, G. D. Onditi Elias School of Medicine, Moi University, Eldoret, Kenya ABSTRACT Low back pain (LBP) is the most prevalent musculoskeletal condition and one of the most common causes of disability in the adult population. Kenya has an increasing number of patients who present with LBP and lacks data on its causes. The presentation, detection and characterization of lesions in LBP are sometimes clinically indistinguishable, necessitating evaluation by MRI. This has been well established in developing countries, but is not well documented in the developing world. This paper examines the most common MRI patterns in patients with low back pain seen in Eldoret, Kenya. The study was conducted at the Radiology and Imaging departments of the Eldoret and Mediheal Hospitals in Eldoret, Kenya. It was a cross-sectional study whose subjects were adult patients with LBP referred for lumbar spine MRI. A total of 185 patients, with LBP sampled systematically, with no history of lumbar surgery and no contraindications to MRI underwent MRI from October 2011 to April 2012 were studied. Data was analyzed using STATA version 10. Descriptive statistics were carried out for continuous variables using mean, median, standard deviation and inter-quartile range. Frequency tables were generated for categorical variables. The Chi-square test and Fishers’ exact test were used to test for any associations. A p-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. The most common site for degenerative findings was L4/L5 followed by L5/S1. Nerve root compression was the most common complication. It was concluded that LDD is common in the lower lumbar regions of both sexes. Keywords: Common Magnetic Resonance Imaging Pattern, Patients, Low Back Pain, Eldoret, Kenya. INTRODUCTION Low back pain has been there since time immemorial. The oldest surviving surgical text, the Edwin Smith Papyrus of 1500 BC, gives the earliest account of LBP and includes a case of back strain. 1 The problem of LBP in the developed world nears epidemic proportions and is on the increase with a lifetime prevalence of LBP (at least one episode of LBP in a lifetime) reported to be up to 84%. 2 Data from the developing world and particularly Africa are scanty. In Togo and Nigeria the prevalence of LBP was reported to be at par with levels recorded in industrialized countries. 3, 4 Address for correspondence: Joseph Mochama Abuya* School of Medicine, Moi University, Eldoret, Kenya P. O. Box: 4606-30100 E-mail: abuyajoma@yahoo.com