[Imaging of the spine in cases of low back pain]

Imaging of the spine is extensively applied in the assessment of patients with low back pain, who often expect imaging procedures to be undertaken. However, the majority of conventional imaging techniques have questionable precision in identifying the primary structural source of pain. This has led to increasing scientific interest in emerging new medical imaging modalities, since adequate correlation between imaging findings and symptoms is crucial for referring clinicians to optimize patient treatment plans. In this review, we present and discuss some recent new trends in various lumbar spine imaging techniques.