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Although guidelines do not recommend magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for most patients who present with uncomplicated low back pain, clinicians often order this imaging study early in the clinical course. In this retrospective cohort study, investigators reviewed U.S. Veterans Affairs healthcare records to determine downstream consequences of “early MRI,” i.e., performed within the first 6 weeks after primary care visits for new-onset low back pain.
Of 400,000 visits for low back pain, 10,000 patients received early MRIs. Patients who received MRIs generally were younger and healthier, with more-severe baseline pain and less-consistent primary care. After extensive adjustment for differences in baseline characteristics, including pain score…