ArticlePloS one2026
Spectral CT electron density for evaluation of lumbar intervertebral disk degeneration.
Article in PloS one, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
15 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectiveThis study aimed to investigate the ability of spectral CT parameters to evaluate lumbar intervertebral disk degeneration (LIDD). SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: LIDD is the most prevalent cause of low back pain. However, the usefulness of spectral CT for LIDD evaluation remains unclear.
methodsThis retrospective study included consecutive patients who underwent spectral CT and Magnetic resonance imaging for spinal disease examination from February 2018 to June 2021 on a single center. The conventional polyenergetic 120-kVp computed tomography value (CTconv), electron density (ED), and effective atomic number (Zeff) were measured in the annulus fibrosus (AF) and nucleus pulposus (NP) in each disk. Additionally, differences in each spectral CT parameter were obtained between the anterior AF and NP and between the posterior AF and NP. These parametric values were correlated with modified Pfirrmann grade (mPG) using Spearman's rank correlation coefficients. The receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was used to assess diagnostic performances for differentiating between normal and degenerative disks.
resultsThree hundred thirty-eight lumbar intervertebral disks of 100 patients were analyzed. The CTconv and ED were negatively correlated with mPG in AF (ρ = -0.29 to -0.36) and positively correlated with mPG in NP (ρ = 0.16-0.45), whereas Zeff in NP was negatively correlated with mPG (ρ = -0.29 to -0.38). The ED differences between the anterior AF and NP and between the posterior AF and NP were strongly correlated with mPG (ρ = -0.71 and -0.64, respectively) and demonstrated high diagnostic performances in differentiating between normal and degenerative disks (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve values = 0.92 and 0.88, respectively).
conclusionSpectral CT parameters, particularly ED, can diagnose lumbar intervertebral disk degeneration.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What Socratic holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the Socratic graph.