ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To examine the correlation between bone mineral density and intervertebral disc degeneration through retrospective study. METHOD: Bone mineral density (BMD) and Magnetic resonance (MR) image of lumbar spine from 61 postmenopausal women were assessed to examine the correlation between bone mineral density and intervertebral disc degeneration. We determined BMD of lumbar spine using the dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). And we evaluated signal intensity of intervertebral disc, disc height and disc herniation at each lumbar disc level using the MR image. The correlation between BMD (mean value of 2nd, 3rd and 4th lumbar spine BMD) and the sum of grading scores of intervertebral disc degeneration was assessed in all the patients. RESULTS: There was a positive correlation between BMD of lumbar spine and the sum of grading scores of intervertebral disc degeneration (r=0.415, p value=0.00087). CONCLUSION: Bone mineral density has an inverse correlation to intervertebral disc degeneration and which is important when considering degenerative spinal disease and osteoporosis.