MRI Scans for Back Pain Can Be Augmented by a New Seismic Vibration Treatment

The need for costly MRI scans to diagnose patients with back pain could be reduced significantly by the use of a simple, inexpensive and safe new technology, and could also decrease the incidence of over-treatment.

The technique was demonstrated by teams of researchers in Canada, and Denmark who studied the lumbar spine of twins and showed that structural changes in the spine affect its vibration response significantly.


The two teams from the University of Alberta (Edmonton, Alberta, Canada), and the University of South Denmark (Odense, Denmark) used gentle seismic vibration to find the vibration responses in identical twins, and the location of the back-pain.

The study was published online in the March, 11, 2016, issue of the journal Scientific Reports. The biomechanical study showed that in twins with similar spines, the seismic vibration responses were statistically similar. If one of the twins had suffered an accident or injury for example, the vibration responses were significantly different. Denmark has the largest and most comprehensive twin registry in the world, and this contributed to the research.

According to the researchers the results of the study show that the seismic vibration technique can be used as a diagnostic tool and improve the use of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) in the short term. In the long term, the new technique could also provide new diagnoses that can supplement imaging tests in use today. Currently MRI scans for back pain are over-used, often unnecessary, and a cost burden and strain on healthcare resources.

Cameron Schuler, president and CEO, VibeDx (Edmonton, Alberta, Canada), the company that licensed the new technology, said, "Back problems are a significant cause of disability world-wide. For 90 percent of these patients, current diagnostic methods are not able to identify their problems. Our hope is VibeDx will help improve our ability to identify the cause of the patient's back problem, which will then assist clinicians in matching a patient to the best course of treatment for their specific situation."

Related Links:
University of Alberta
University of South Denmark
VibeDx