mri imaging results in patients with low back pain and radiculopathy and their relationship to demographic characters

background: this study aimed to determine relationship between mri imaging results and demographic characteristics of patients with low back pain and lower extremity radiculopathy. methods: this analytic-comparative study was carried out from april 2007 until march 2008   on patient   referred to imam reza hospital in kermanshah. demographic features and mri imaging results of 242 patients with low back pain and lower extremity radiculopathy were recorded using separate questionnaires. chi-square and fishers test for determine qualitative variables and a-nova and t test for quantitative variables were applied. results: there was no significant statistical relationship between bmi, weight, height and mri imaging results. other demographic features showed significant relationship with mri imaging results (p<0.05). prevalence of canal stenosis, disc protrusion and disc degeneration increased with aging. these   disorders were significantly higher in female than male. farmers, workers and housekeeper showed higher abnormalities in mri imaging than other occupational groups. mri abnormalities were higher in rural patients than urban and in illiterates than educated subjects. conclusion: we can conclude that abnormal mri imaging results were more related to job and life style of participants rather than the other characteristics.