Morphology and significance of lumbar disc in lumbar degenerative spondylolisthesis plus lumber disc herniation

English Keywords:Lumbar degenerative spondylolisthesis  Lumber disc herniation  Disc angular variation  Disc height

English Abstract:

  【Abstract】 Objectives: To investigate the radiographic features of lumbar degenerative spondylolisthesis(LDS) plus lumber disc herniation(LDH) and the association between the degree of disc degeneration, disc angular variation as well as disc height and incidence of degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis. Methods: 37 cases suffering L4/5 LDS plus lumber disc herniation (experimental group) and 38 cases with from L4/5 LDH alone (control group) from Peking University 3rd Hospital and Shi Jingshan Hospital between October 2009 and November 2011were reviewed retrospectively. The L4/5 parameters fromT2-weighted MRI and CT of 34 LDS and 37 LDH were collected. The degree of L4/5 disc degeneration was determined by using modified Pfirrmann scale. The angular variation and the heights of L4/5 disc were meassured and compared between experimental group and control group. Results: The number of cases with the degree of L4/5 disc degeneration showed as B, C, D and E were 1, 25, 8 and 1 respectively in experimental group, while those were 2, 21, 13 and 2 respectively in control group, which showed no significant difference with respect to the degree of disc degeneration（P>0.05）; the angular variation of L4/5 in experimental and control group was 3.08°±1.87° and 6.48°±2.92° respectively, which showed significant difference（P<0.05）; the disc height in experimental and control group was 8.46±1.81mm and 9.38±2.46mm respectively, which showed no significant difference（P>0.05）. Conclusions: Decrease of disc angular variation may induce lumbar degenerative spondylolisthesis.