The vertebral canals in lumbar disc disease

Area of Science:

• Neurosurgery
• Radiology
• Orthopedics

Background:

• Lumbar radiculopathy is a common condition causing nerve pain.
• Vertebral canal dimensions may influence susceptibility to nerve impingement.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare lumbar vertebral canal sagittal dimensions between patients with lumbar radiculopathy and controls.
• To assess the clinical utility of sagittal diameter measurements in managing lumbar radiculopathy.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of lateral roentgenograms.
• Measurement of sagittal diameters of the five lumbar vertebral canals.
• Comparison of measurements between patients operated for lumbar radiculopathy and a control group.

Main Results:

• Lumbar vertebral canals were significantly shallower in patients with lumbar radiculopathy compared to controls.
• Smaller sagittal diameters correlated with a higher frequency of radiculopathy.
• A small disc protrusion or abnormality can more easily impinge nerves in smaller canals.

Conclusions:

• Shallow sagittal lumbar vertebral canal dimensions are associated with lumbar radiculopathy.
• Simple lateral roentgenogram measurements can aid in diagnosis and surgical planning.
• This non-invasive measurement is valuable for interpreting myelographic findings and guiding surgical interventions.