IVIM MRI was used to evaluate changes in muscle blood flow before and after lumbar extension exercise in patients with low back pain and healthy controls. Results showed that IVIM was sensitive to blood flow changes from exercise in both groups. Pain free controls had a higher mean diffusion coefficient (D) and the change in D from exercise was also greater in this cohort. A subset of patients with low back pain who had a limited response to exercise per the pseudo-diffusion coefficient (D*) were also found to have no improvement in disability following a 12-week physical therapy regimen.
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