Multifidus Degeneration, A New Risk Factor for Lumbar Spinal Stenosis: A Case-Control Study

World Neurosurg. 2017 Mar:99:226-231. doi: 10.1016/j.wneu.2016.11.142. Epub 2016 Dec 6.

Abstract

Objectives: To analyze whether multifidus degeneration has a relationship with degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS).

Materials and methods: Clinical data of 40 patients with LSS were analyzed retrospectively. Moreover, 40 healthy people were selected as controls. Subjects of both groups underwent a 1.5-T lumbar spinal magnetic resonance imaging scan in our hospital, and then the multifidus muscularity, fatty infiltration ratio, and bilateral asymmetry at L4/5 level on magnetic resonance imaging were measured with ImageJ software to analyze and compare the multifidus parameters between the 2 groups.

Results: Compared with the control group, the multifidus muscularity was lower, fatty infiltration ratio was greater, and muscle asymmetry was more significant at the L4/5 level in patients with LSS, and the difference between the 2 groups was statistically significant.

Conclusions: Multifidus degeneration, including reduced volume, increased fatty infiltration, and bilateral muscle asymmetry, has an association with LSS.

Keywords: Bilateral asymmetry; Degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis; Fatty infiltration ratio; Multifidus degeneration; Muscularity.

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Causality
  • China / epidemiology
  • Comorbidity
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Incidence
  • Lumbar Vertebrae / diagnostic imaging*
  • Lumbar Vertebrae / surgery
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Muscular Atrophy / diagnostic imaging*
  • Muscular Atrophy / epidemiology*
  • Muscular Atrophy / prevention & control
  • Paraspinal Muscles / diagnostic imaging*
  • Reproducibility of Results
  • Risk Factors
  • Sensitivity and Specificity
  • Spinal Stenosis / diagnostic imaging*
  • Spinal Stenosis / epidemiology*
  • Spinal Stenosis / surgery
  • Treatment Outcome