Li L, Zhou Z, Xiong W, et al. - This study was intended to examine Z-spectral MRI data to produce multiparametric metabolic and microenvironmental contrasts for distinguishing intervertebral discs with/without pain symptoms and sore pain. Researchers obtained Z-spectra data from the lumbar discs of 26 patients with non-specific chronic low back pain (CLBP) and 21 asymptomatic controls with a chemical exchange saturation transfer. They estimated multiparametric maps from the fitted peak amplitudes, and the average values were calculated from all five lumbar discs. According to the results, Z-spectral MRI with its multiparametric metabolic and microenvironmental contrasts has been indicated to distinguish discs with and without pain symptom or sore pain, providing more important information of CLBP.