LAUSR

The third lumbar transverse process syndrome was first proposed by traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), which asserted that the disease was related to the anatomical position, structure, and mechanical properties of the third lumbar transverse process (1,2). However, the pathological changes of this disease are not uniform. Most patients with similar symptoms usually relieve their pain by rest, activity reduction, weight reduction, or block therapy. Furthermore, routine imaging examinations, such as X-rays, computed tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), provide no clear evidence of the disease. Clinically, the third lumbar transverse process syndrome is most often characterized by low back and leg pain. Due to the lack of understanding of this disease by clinicians and radiologists, the pain is often attributed to factors such as lumbar muscle strain and lumbar disc herniation. Therefore, few patients seek further medical care or further imaging due to worsening pain. T2-weighted fat-suppressed MRI, including the scan range of the third lumbar vertebral body, plays an important role in diagnosing this disease. However, in the past, conventional imaging examinations were not sufficient to confirm the existence of this disease. In the case presented here, we confirmed the existence of the third lumbar transverse process syndrome through a site-specific T2weighted fat-suppressed MRI and clinical diagnosis.