Objective
We designed this study to investigate the relationship among lumbar disc herniation, vertebral endplate area and shape, and lumbar and sacral parameters. Method: 78 experimental patients with low back pain and 27 controls were enrolled. Experimental patients were divided into group A with low back pain without trauma and lumbar disc herniation and group B with low back pain due to lumbar disc herniation without trauma. Controls had low back pain due to recent trauma but no previous history of back pain and lumbar disc herniation. We reviewed MRI (magnetic resonance image) films of these patients with anteroposterior and transverse diameter of endplates, lumbarlordosis angle, and sacral angle. The relationship of these data and sex, age, body weight, height, intervertebral disc herniation, low back pain were statistically studied. Results: Patients' sex, age, body weight, height, vertebral endplate area and shape, lumbar and sacral parameters were not related to disc herniation. But the more circular vertebral shape was, the larger lumbar lordosis angle was. And the larger lumbar lordosis angle was, the less sacral angle was. Conclusion: There were no relationships between the development of disc herniation at L4-5, L5-S1 and the shape of the vertebral body at the endplate level. (J Korean Acad Rehab Med 2005; 29: 619-623)

Objective
To determine whether the area and the shape of the vertebral body endplate in the magnetic resonance image (MRI) findings were risk factors for the development of symptomatic herniated lumbar intervertebral disc.

Method: Sixty patients of low back pain with the age below 60 were enrolled. They didn't have spondylolisthesis or the history of spine surgery. MRI films of these patients were reviewed. Anteroposterior and transverse diameter of endplates, height of vertebral body and intervertebral discs were measured. The relation of these data and intervertebral disc herniation, body weight, height, body mass index (BMI) were statistically studied.

Results: Patients' weight, BMI, the vertebral body area and the shape of the endplate were related to disc herniations. Furthermore, the larger and circular vertebral body was observed in the patients with disc herniation. In the patients with lower back pain, men were diagnosed disc herniations of the MRI finding more than women.

Conclusion: In anatomical aspect, the area and the shape of the vertebral body at the endplate level were important factors contributing to the development of disc herniations at L4-L5 and L5-S1. (J Korean Acad Rehab Med 2003; 27: 399-403)