Juhani Määttä

Verified

Juhani verified their affiliation via an institutional email.

Learn more

Verified

Juhani verified their affiliation via an institutional email.

Learn more

• MD, PhD
• Adjunct Professor at University of Oulu

Low back pain (LBP) is the most common musculoskeletal symptom worldwide and intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration is an important contributing factor. To improve the quantitative phenotyping of IVD degeneration from T2-weighted MRI and better understand its relationship with LBP, multiple shape and intensity features have been investigated. IVD r...

Background The reliability and diagnostic accuracy of commonly used diagnostic imaging modalities in the classification of lumbosacral transitional vertebrae (LSTV) are poorly known, and comparative studies are scarce. Purpose To compare the diagnostic performance of conventional radiography (CR), computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance i...

Introduction Modic changes (MC) are bone marrow lesions of vertebral bones, which can be detected with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) adjacent to degenerated intervertebral discs. Defined by their appearance on T1 and T2 weighted images, there are three interconvertible types: MC1, MC2, and MC3. The inter‐observer variability of the MRI diagnosis...

Introductory paragraph Given that lumbar disc herniation (LDH) is a prevalent spinal condition that causes significant individual suffering and societal costs ¹ , the genetic basis of LDH has received relatively little research. Our aim was to increase understanding of the genetic factors influencing LDH. We performed a genome-wide association anal...

Background Modic changes (MC) are inflammatory vertebral bone marrow lesions adjacent to degenerative intervertebral discs [1]. On MRI, three types can be distinguished: Modic types 1 – 3 changes (MC1, MC2, MC3). Especially MC1 are associated with low back pain (LBP), and the larger the lesion, the stronger is the association with pain [3]. However...

Low back pain (LBP) is the leading cause of disability worldwide and often associated with lifestyle factors. However, studies further examining the role of these lifestyle factors in non-specific low back pain in comparison with radicular pain are sparse. The aim of this cross sectional study was to investigate how diverse lifestyle factors are as...

Background Lumbar disc degeneration (LDD) is associated with low back pain (LBP). Although both insomnia and mental distress appear to influence the pain experience, their role in the association between LDD and LBP is uncertain. Our objective was to investigate the role of co-occurring insomnia and mental distress in the association between LDD an...

Study design: This is a retrospective observational study to externally validate a deep learning image classification model. Objective: Deep learning models such as SpineNet offer the possibility of automating the process of disc degeneration (DD) classification from MRI. External validation is an essential step to their development. The aim of...

This paper addresses the challenge of grading visual features in lumbar spine MRI using Deep Learning. Such a method is essential for the automatic quantification of structural changes in the spine, which is valuable for understanding low back pain. Multiple recent studies investigated different architecture designs, and the most recent success has...

Background: Although it has been suggested that lumbar disc degeneration (LDD) is a significant risk factor for low back pain (LBP), its role remains uncertain. Our objective was to clarify the association between LDD and LBP and whether mental distress modifies the association. Methods: Participants of a birth cohort underwent 1.5-T lumbar magn...

Objectives: To evaluate the association of thoracic spine (TS) posture and mobility with TS pain. Methods: Participants with TS pain reported maximum, average, and night pain in TS area, and pain summary score was calculated. Upright and sitting TS postures were evaluated by inspection. TS posture and mobility (flexion and extension) were record...

To assess the safety and efficacy of oral 50mg Zoledronic acid (ZA) bisphosphate once‐a‐week for 6‐weeks to placebo among patients with chronic low back pain (cLBP) and Modic changes (MC) on MRI. A parallel, double‐blinded randomized controlled study was performed at a single center, consisted of 25 subjects with cLBP and MC that received ZA (n=13)...

Intervertebral disc degeneration (IVD) is characterized by a series of disruptive changes, structural and biochemical, which may lead to pain and disability. The appearance of these changes is usually irrespective of age, sex, and spinal level. The etiology of IVD degeneration is multifactorial, which can include genetic, environmental, altered bio...

Modic changes (MCs) are bone marrow changes in the spine, and they are classified into three categories (types 1, 2, and 3) based on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) appearance. They share several determinants with bone marrow changes at other sites of the body. The precise pathology of MCs is still unclear but includes structural disc damage and t...

Study design: A cross-sectional study of the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966 (NFBC1966). Objective: To evaluate the association of lumbosacral transitional vertebrae (LSTV) with low back pain (LBP) and associated degenerative findings using MR imaging. Summary of background data: LSTV is a common finding with a prevalence of 10% to 29%. LST...

Välilevyrappeumaan liittyvillä rustoisen nikamapäätelevyn alaisilla luuydinmuutoksilla eli Modic- muutoksilla on paljon yhteistä muualla elimistössä tavattavien luuydinmuutosten kanssa. Modic-muutokset näkyvät magneettikuvissa ja ne voidaan jakaa kolmeen eri tyyppiin. Muutosten tarkka syntytapa on epäselvä ja ehdotettu bakteeri-infektioteoria kiist...

Study design: Population-based birth cohort study. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between vertebral dimensions and lumbar MC. Summary of background data: Low back pain (LBP) has become the leading cause of disability worldwide. Modic changes (MC) of the lumbar spine are one potential LBP-associated etiologica...

Background: Modic changes (MC) in the lumbar spine are considered one potential etiological factor behind low back pain (LBP). Multiple risk factors for MC have been suggested, including male gender, smoking and factors affecting hyperloading and mechanical stress such as high body mass index (BMI), strenuous physical work and high occupational an...

A bursa is a structure that reduces friction between soft tissues and bony structures. Bursitis can be either aseptic or septic. Aseptic bursitis is more frequent. Septic bursitis occurs mainly in superficial bursae. Infection in deep bursae is less frequent. The diagnosis of superficial bursitis is fairly straightforward based on clinical examinat...

Study design: A cross-sectional study of the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966 (NFBC1966). Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between the type, size, and location of lumbar Modic changes (MC), and prolonged disabling low back pain (LBP). Summary of background data: LBP is the leading cause of disability worldwide...

Objectives To assess the prevalence of lumbosacral transitional vertebra (LSTV) and associated spinal degenerative changes on abdominal CT scans in Caucasian population.Material and methodsA total of 3855 abdominal CT scans of the year 2017 from a single hospital were retrospectively assessed for LSTV, disc degeneration (DD), and facet joint degene...

Background Low back pain (LBP) is a common disabling condition. Lumbar disc degeneration (LDD) may be a contributing factor for LBP. Modic change (MC), a distinct phenotype of LDD, is presented as a pathological bone marrow signal change adjacent to vertebral endplate on MRI. It is strongly associated with LBP and has heritability around 30%. Our o...

Purpose of Review This review aims to highlight recent advances in understanding the genetic basis of intervertebral disc degeneration (IDD). Recent Findings It has been known for some time that IDD is highly heritable. Recent studies, and in particular the availability of agnostic techniques such as genome-wide association studies, have identifie...

Modic change (MC) is considered an independent risk factor for low back pain (LBP) but its aetiology remains unclear. In this cross-sectional, large-scale population-based study we sought to characterise associations between endplate defect (ED) and MC in a population sample of broad age range. The study population consisted of 831 twin volunteers...

Study design: Longitudinal study of spine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in a large-scale population-based study. Objective: To determine the order of appearance of degenerative change in vertebral bodies and intervertebral discs. We also sought to define the influence of endplate defect on low back pain (LBP) and to determine whether there is...

Study design: Cross-sectional study of spine MR in a population, predominantly female, sample. Objective: To determine the relationship between vertebral endplate defect and intervertebral disc degeneration (DD) in general population. Summary of background data: Precise understanding of the mechanisms leading to DD development is lacking. In a...

Background Recent reported results have added to the weight of evidence supporting association between disc degeneration and Modic changes. Endplate or Modic changes are also associated with increased body mass index. The most recent study from Teichtahl et al. titled ‘Modic changes in the lumbar spine and their association with body composition, f...

Low back pain (LBP) is the world's most disabling condition. Modic changes (MC) are vertebral bone marrow changes adjacent to the endplates as noted on magnetic resonance imaging. The associations of specific MC types and patterns with prolonged, severe LBP and disability remain speculative. This study assessed the relationship of prolonged, severe...

Modic changes (MC) are associated with low back pain. They represent vertebral endplate and adjacent vertebral marrow changes on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), classified into three types. Due to small sample sizes, patient cohorts, and limited phenotype assessment, the morphology, involvement of MC and their association with other spinal phenot...

Longitudinal cohort study of twins representative of the general population. To assess the relationship between Modic change (MC) and severe, disabling low back pain (LBP), features of intervertebral disc degeneration (DD) and incident MC during 10-year follow-up. MC describes vertebral endplate and bone marrow lesions visible on magnetic resonance...

To study the prevalence of vertebral endplate or Modic change (MC), the progression of MC over a 10-year follow-up and the heritability of MC prevalence in a classical twin study. The study population was recruited from TwinsUK register between 1996 and 2000. MC was evaluated from T2-weighted lumbar magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) at baseline and...

Introduction Low back pain is the world's most disabling condition. Modic changes (MC) are associated with low back pain. These changes are spinal phenotypes that represent vertebral endplate and adjacent marrow changes on MRI. MC are classified into three main types (type I, type II, and type III) and mixed types (type I/II and II/III). Due to met...

Background and purpose Modic changes (MC) are bone marrow and vertebral endplate lesions seen in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) which have been found to be associated with low back pain (LBP), but the association between MC and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is poorly understood. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship betwee...

Introduction There is a controversy regarding the prognostic role of Modic changes (MC's) for lumbar discectomy. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether Modic changes affect the results of lumbar discectomy 1 year after surgery. Materials and Methods The study population consisted of 180 sciatica patients from Northern and Eastern Finland wh...