How much does an MRI change over a period of up to 2 years in patients with chronic low back pain? Is a repeated MRI really necessary in the follow-up of patients with chronic low back pain?

Purpose: Clinical practices vary between healthcare providers when it comes to asking for a Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) during follow-up for chronic low-back pain (LBP). The association between progressive changes on the MRI and the clinical relevance of these findings is not clearly defined. The objective of our study is to investigate to what extent do MRI findings change during a period less than or equal to two years in patients with chronic LBP.