Objective To analyze the imaging characteristics of CT and MRI in the diagnosis of lumbocrural pain and to compare the clinical value of the two kinds of examination methods in determination of the causes of lumbocrural pain. Methods 66 patients with lumbocrural pain treated in our hospital from October 2013 to October 2015 were treated as the research objects. All patients were examined with CT and MRI. The imaging findings were analyzed and the causes were determined. Results CT and MRI examination found that the main causes of lumbocrural pain in patients included intervertebral disc intamescentia and extrusion, degeneration of the lumbar spine column (hyperplasia and osteoporosis), intervertebral disc degeneration, spinal stenosis, spondylolisthesis, endplate inflammation (Schmorl nodes), lumbar (tube) tumor and lumbar muscle strain, etc.. The confirmed diagnosis rates of MRI examination of intervertebral disc degeneration and lumbar muscle strain were higher than those of CT (P<0.05). Conclusion CT and MRI in the clinical diagnosis of lumbocrural pain has great application value, of which due to the limited scope of scanning and different examination levels, the possibility of CT in missed diagnosis and misdiagnosis of spinal cord tumor is larger. The display of pain induced by endplate inflammation, degeneration of the lumbar spine column and vertebral tumors is not as good as MRI, thus MRI is the preferred method of inspection. If there is no MRI equipment in the hospital, CT can be taken as an alternative method.