Single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) for low back pain induced by extension with no root sign.

Background: Low back pain (LBP) is very common in the general population. Most patients with LBP will receive an X-ray examination on lumbar spine; however, the results are likely to show a negative finding or degenerative joint disease, which are not truly pathological factors. Among various imaging diagnostic tools for active bony lesions of lumbar spine, planar bone scintigraphy has a higher sensitivity, but its ability to locate anatomic lesions is less satisfactory.