Correlation between lumbar degenerative spondylolisthesis and endplate Modic changes

English Keywords:Lumbar  Degenerative spondylolisthesis  Modic changes  MRI  Correlation

English Abstract:

  【Abstract】 Objectives: To investigate the distribution characteristics of endplate Modic changes in patients with lumbar degenerative spondylolisthesis, and to analyze the correlation between degenerative spondylolisthesis and endplate Modic changes. Methods: The MRI images of 108 patients with lumbar degenerative spondylolisthesis were reviewed retrospectively. The parameters included the incidence and distribution of various types of endplate Modic changes in the spondylolisthesis segments and the other segments, and the correlation between endplate Modic changes and lumbar degenerative spondylolisthesis were analyzed. Results: Among 540 vertebral bodys of 108 patients with lumbar degenerative spondylolisthesis, 149 were Grade Ⅰ spondylolisthesis, 17 were Grade Ⅱ spondylolisthesis; the lesions involved L1 in 10, L2 in 26, L3 in 41, L4 in 46, L5 in 43. Among 1080 endplates of 108 patients with lumbar degenerative spondylolisthesis, 351 endplates were involved in Modic changes, among these, 172(15.93%) endplates were classified as type Ⅰ, 144（13.33%) endplates were classified as type Ⅱ, 3(0.28%) endplates were classified as type Ⅲ, and 32(2.96%) endplate were classified as mixed type; the lesions involved L1/2 segment in 34(3.15%), L2/3 segment in 61(5.65%), L3/4 segment in 65(6.02%), L4/5 segment in 77(7.13%), L5/S1 segment in 114(10.56%). The incidence of Modic changes in the spondylolisthesis segments and non-slippage segements was 75.30% and 13.50% respectively, which showed significant difference(r=0.613, P<0.05). Conclusions: Endplate Modic changes in patients with lumbar degenerative spondylolisthesis appear more frequently in the dislocated vertebral body, Modic type Ⅰ is most common. Modic change of lumbar endplate is positively related to the degree of lumbar degenerative spondylolisthesis.