[Correlation analysis between degenerative spondylolisthesis and T2WI hyperintensity on MRI of interspinous ligament]

To explore the relationship between lumbar degenerative spondylolisthesis and T2WI high signal in the interspinous ligament in MRI in order to improve the understanding of the signal changes of the interspinous ligament.

The clinical data of 43 patients with clinically diagnosed lumbar degenerative spondylolisthesis were collected from March 2018 to March 2020, there were 19 males and 24 females, aged 50 to 92 years with an average of 69 years old. Using picture archiving and communication systems (PACS) to access images and record the distribution and incidence of T2WI high signal in the interspinous ligament between the slipped and non-slipped segments. Using Spearman correlation analysis to explore the relationshipbetween the T2WI high signal of the interspinous ligament and the degree of lumbar spondylolisthesis.

Except for 8 ligaments that were not included in the statistical results due to poor image quality, 43 patients with a total of 207 lumbar vertebrae and interspinous ligaments were included in the study. According to the Meyerding classification method, 43 patients had a total of 48 segments with spondylolisthesis, 41 segments in grade Ⅰ and 7 segments in grade Ⅱ. There were 30 cases of MRI T2WI high signal in the interspinous ligament corresponding to spondylolisthesis segment, including 3 cases on L_2,3 segment, 3 cases on L_3,4 segment, 20 cases on L_4,5 segment, and 4 cases on L₅S₁ segment. And there were 53 cases of MRI T2WI hyperintensity in 159 non slipped interspinous ligaments, of which 6 cases were at L_1,2, 6 were at L_2,3, 13 were on L_3,4, 7 were on L_4,5, and 21 were on L₅S₁. Compared with the non slipped segment, the incidence of high signal on the T2WI of the interspinous ligament was 62.5% and 33.3%, respectively, and the difference was statistically significant (χ²= 13.06, P<0.05). Spearman correlation analysis showed that the presence of T2WI hyperintensity of interspinous ligament was positively correlated with the degree of lumbar spondylolisthesis (r=0.264, P<0.05).

In patients with degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis, the MRI T2WI hyperintensity is more common in the interspinous ligament. The occurrence of T2WI high signal is positively correlated with the degree of spondylolisthesis, which should be payed enough attention in imaging diagnosis.