OBJECTIVETo study the correlation between the MRI and some symptom scores of the patients with lumbar disc herniation (LDH), such as VAS (visual analogue scale), JOA (Japanese orthopedic association scale),and SLR (straight leg raising test) before and after manipulative therapy.

METHODSFrom June to December in 2007, 70 patients with LDH were selected in the study. Among the patients, 40 patients were male and 30 patients were female, ranging in age from 21 to 56 years (averaged 39 years). MRI was used to measure the size and position of the protruded nucleus pulposus (size of disc protrution, the angle between nerve root canal and disc protrution). Correlation study was conducted between the MRI and VAS, JOA, and SLR before and after therapy. The correlation between the changes of MRI and that of the quantified clinical indexes of LDH patients was also analyzed.

RESULTSThere were significant differences before and after therapy in some quantified indexes for the clinical manifestation of the patients, such as VAS, JOA,and SLR. There were no significant changes in the shape and size of protrude nucleus pulposus after 20 days' therapy by CT or MR recheck. Correlation study between the quantified indexes of clinical manifestation (JOA) and MRI before and after the treatment showed that there was no significant correlation.

CONCLUSIONThe study proves again that the shape and size of protrude nucleus pulposus has no paralleled relation with the patient's clinical manifestation,which is demonstrated by the recheck of MRI after a successful spinal manipulative treatment in the study.