Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
6.9
3.8
Journals
Diagnostics
Special Issues
Advances in the Diagnosis and Management of Low-Back Pain
share announcement

Advances in the Diagnosis and Management of Low-Back Pain

A special issue of Diagnostics (ISSN 2075-4418). This special issue belongs to the section "Medical Imaging and Theranostics".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 November 2026 | Viewed by 1240

Editors

Dr. Raffaele Natella

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Molise, Campobasso, Italy
Interests: MRI; MSK Imaging; bone tumors; soft tiffue tumors; DTI; radiomics; cardiac CT; cardiac MRI; prostate MRI; MSK ultrasound
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Federico Bruno

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Biotechnological and Applied Clinical Sciences, University of L’Aquila, 67100 L’Aquila, Italy
Interests: neuroradiology; MRI; focused ultrasound; tremor; spine imaging
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Daniele Giuseppe Romano

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Unit of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, AOU San Giovanni di Dio e Ruggi d’Aragona, University of Salerno, Salerno, Italy
Interests: thrombectomy; acute ischemic stroke; intracranial aneurysms; carotid stenting; AVM; FAVD
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Low back pain remains a leading cause of disability worldwide, demanding precise diagnosis and targeted therapy. This Special Issue invites contributions that integrate advanced imaging with image-guided interventions to optimize outcomes in subacute and chronic pain. We welcome studies that refine MRI- and CT-based phenotyping to distinguish radicular from non-radicular sources (e.g., disk–nerve conflict, foraminal/central stenosis, and the contextual interpretation of Modic/endplate changes) and that define imaging criteria for patient selection.On the interventional side, we seek original research, reviews, and technical notes on epidural and periradicular injections, selective nerve root blocks for diagnostic/therapeutic targeting, facet and sacroiliac joint procedures with medial branch radiofrequency ablation, and vertebral augmentation for painful compression fractures. We particularly encourage submissions on emerging or evolving techniques, such as basivertebral nerve ablation, percutaneous disk decompression (laser or coblation), and minimally invasive lumbar decompression (MILD), including safety, comparative effectiveness, and pragmatic selection algorithms. We also welcome studies that make imaging reports clearer and easier to use in everyday practice, building sensible care pathways that avoid cascade testing and unnecessary medications. Our goal is to provide a practical, evidence-based roadmap that aligns imaging, intervention, and meaningful outcomes for individualized management of low-back pain.

Dr. Raffaele Natella
Dr. Federico Bruno
Dr. Daniele Giuseppe Romano
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Diagnostics is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • low back pain
  • magnetic resonance imaging
  • radiculopathy
  • imaging biomarkers
  • patient selection
  • interventional radiology
  • epidural injections
  • radiofrequency ablation
  • intradiscal therapy
  • vertebral augmentation

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (3 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Review

12 pages, 893 KB  
Article
Radiological Outcomes of PEEK Versus Rigid Rod Stabilization in Lumbar Spinal Stenosis Surgery: The Role of Preoperative and Postoperative Findings in Adjacent Segment Disease
by Merih Can Yilmaz, Ozgur Ozaydin and Keramettin Aydin
Diagnostics 2026, 16(11), 1625; https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics16111625 - 26 May 2026
Viewed by 201
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Lumbar spondylosis is a degenerative disorder that may require decompression and stabilization surgery. Rigid titanium rods provide strong fixation, whereas polyetheretherketone (PEEK) rods have been proposed to offer a more flexible load distribution profile. This study compared the radiological outcomes after [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Lumbar spondylosis is a degenerative disorder that may require decompression and stabilization surgery. Rigid titanium rods provide strong fixation, whereas polyetheretherketone (PEEK) rods have been proposed to offer a more flexible load distribution profile. This study compared the radiological outcomes after PEEK versus rigid rod stabilization and evaluated whether the preoperative degenerative findings contributed independently to the postoperative adjacent segment radiological status. Methods: A retrospective cohort of 106 patients undergoing lumbar decompression and posterior stabilization (2020–2025) was analyzed. Rod allocation followed routine clinical practice rather than randomization. Radiological parameters (foraminal area, canal diameter, disc height, and facet volume) were measured preoperatively and at one year postoperatively. Baseline-adjusted ANCOVA models with HC3 robust inference compared PEEK and rigid rods across the two-, three-, and four-segment constructs. Additional models assessed the independent effects of preoperative facet effusion and Modic changes. Results: PEEK rods were associated with the statistically reliable preservation of spinal canal diameter, foraminal area, disc height (particularly in the three- and four-segment constructs), and reduced facet joint volume increase compared with rigid rods after multiple-comparison correction. The findings for the two-segment constructs were less consistent and partly influence-sensitive. Preoperative facet effusion and Modic changes showed no statistically reliable independent association with postoperative radiological outcomes after adjustment. Conclusions: PEEK rod systems were associated with favorable baseline-adjusted radiological preservation patterns, especially in long-segment stabilization. These findings should be interpreted as radiological associations rather than proof of clinical superiority or causal reduction in adjacent segment disease, because rod allocation was nonrandom and clinical, and fusion-related outcomes were not assessed. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in the Diagnosis and Management of Low-Back Pain)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

14 pages, 1384 KB  
Article
Advanced MRI Sequences for Structural Lesion Assessment in Sacroiliitis
by Törehan Özer, Emine Hafize Sönmez and Yonca Anik
Diagnostics 2026, 16(6), 887; https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics16060887 - 17 Mar 2026
Viewed by 592
Abstract
Background/Objectives: Assessing structural damage in pediatric sacroiliitis is challenging, necessitating radiation-free alternatives to computed tomography (CT). This study evaluated the diagnostic performance of advanced MRI sequences—3D-MENSA (Multi-Echo in Steady-State Acquisition), 3D-MERGE (Multiple-Echo Recombined Gradient Echo), and Zero Echo Time (ZTE)—against conventional T1-weighted sequences [...] Read more.
Background/Objectives: Assessing structural damage in pediatric sacroiliitis is challenging, necessitating radiation-free alternatives to computed tomography (CT). This study evaluated the diagnostic performance of advanced MRI sequences—3D-MENSA (Multi-Echo in Steady-State Acquisition), 3D-MERGE (Multiple-Echo Recombined Gradient Echo), and Zero Echo Time (ZTE)—against conventional T1-weighted sequences for detecting structural lesions. Low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) served as the reference standard. A secondary objective was to qualitatively assess the visibility of active inflammatory lesions and fat metaplasia. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 23 pediatric patients with enthesitis-related arthritis (ERA) were included. To adhere strictly to radiation safety principles, the study used pre-existing ldCT datasets from a clinical cohort as the reference standard. No new CT scans were performed for this study. Structural lesions (erosions, sclerosis, and joint-space changes) were independently scored by two blinded radiologists. Interobserver agreement was assessed using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC). Results: Advanced sequences (ZTE, 3D-MENSA, 3D-MERGE) demonstrated high agreement with ldCT for erosion detection (ICC range: 0.924–0.998) and significantly outperformed conventional T1-weighted MRI (ICC: 0.707). 3D-MENSA provided distinct contrast, effectively differentiating the ligamentous component of the sacroiliac joint from both the synovial component and the adjacent bone cortex. Qualitatively, 3D-MENSA also identified bone marrow edema and fat metaplasia, which cannot be visualized by ZTE or ldCT. Conclusions: 3D-MENSA and 3D-MERGE enable comprehensive evaluation of structural sacroiliitis lesions in pediatric patients with diagnostic accuracy comparable to ldCT. Specifically, 3D-MENSA demonstrates the potential to detect both active and chronic lesions in a single, rapid, radiation-free acquisition. These findings suggest that it should be considered for routine pediatric imaging protocols. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in the Diagnosis and Management of Low-Back Pain)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Review

Jump to: Research

15 pages, 1116 KB  
Review
Vertebrogenic Low Back Pain and Basivertebral Nerve Ablation: A Review of Mechanisms, Imaging-Driven Selection, and Clinical Outcomes
by Daniele G. Romano, Ludovica Liguori, Giulia Pacella, Raffaele Natella, Federico Bruno, Francesco Arrigoni, Michela Bruno, Stefano Piemonte, Michele Fischetti, Mario Brunese and Marcello Zappia
Diagnostics 2026, 16(12), 1943; https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics16121943 (registering DOI) - 22 Jun 2026
Abstract
Background: Vertebrogenic low back pain (LBP) is a distinct subtype of chronic LBP (cLBP) arising from nociceptive sensitization of the basivertebral nerve (BVN) within pathologically altered vertebral endplates. Modic type 1 and type 2 changes on MRI are primary imaging biomarkers for patient [...] Read more.
Background: Vertebrogenic low back pain (LBP) is a distinct subtype of chronic LBP (cLBP) arising from nociceptive sensitization of the basivertebral nerve (BVN) within pathologically altered vertebral endplates. Modic type 1 and type 2 changes on MRI are primary imaging biomarkers for patient selection. Basivertebral nerve ablation (BVNA), a minimally invasive intraosseous radiofrequency procedure, has emerged as a targeted treatment for this condition. This narrative review aims to synthesize current evidence on the pathophysiology of vertebrogenic LBP, patient selection criteria, procedural outcomes, safety profile, and cost-effectiveness of BVNA. Methods: We conducted this narrative review of the literature, encompassing randomized controlled trials (including the SMART and INTRACEPT studies), prospective registries, and real-world cohort studies evaluating BVNA for vertebrogenic LBP. Clinical and imaging-based selection criteria, procedural techniques, outcome measures, adverse events, opioid utilization, and healthcare utilization data were examined. Results: Evidence demonstrates consistent and durable reductions in pain and disability following BVNA, with a favorable safety profile. Complication rates are low, with vertebral compression fracture and procedure-related radicular pain reported as the most frequent adverse events. BVNA is associated with reduced opioid consumption and decreased overall healthcare utilization. Moreover, emerging data suggest efficacy beyond originally defined inclusion criteria, including cases of osteoporosis, multilevel Modic changes, adult spinal deformity, and complex comorbid presentations. Conclusions: BVNA represents an effective and safe treatment option within the multimodal management of vertebrogenic LBP. Current evidence supports a gradual expansion of procedural indications, with implications for healthcare resource optimization and opioid stewardship. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in the Diagnosis and Management of Low-Back Pain)
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-3
Back to TopTop