Open Access, Peer-reviewed
pISSN 2093-4378
eISSN 2093-4386
    J Korean Soc Spine Surg. 2012 Dec;19(4):152-157. Korean.
    Published online Dec 31, 2012.
    https://doi.org/10.4184/jkss.2012.19.4.152
    © Copyright 2012 Korean Society of Spine Surgery
    Original Article

    Effect of Axial loading on Lumbar spine MRI -Comparative Study of Effect between a Patient Group with Claudication and a Patient Group without Claudication-

    Jin-Young Lee, M.D., Jeong-Gil Lee, M.D., Bum-Suk Oh, M.D., Hyo-Beom Lee, M.D. and Bon-Jae Koo, M.D.
      • Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Kangdong Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University School of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
    • Corresponding author: Jeong-Gil Lee, M.D. Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Kangdong Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University School of Medicine, Kil dong 445, Kang-dong Gu, Seoul, Korea. TEL: 82-2-2224-2350, FAX: 82-2-489-4391, Email: finedr@hanmail.net
    Received January 02, 2012; Revised September 07, 2012; Accepted December 10, 2012.

    This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/) which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

    Abstract

    Study Design

    This study intended to find out differences of effects by axial loading in MRI examination in a patient group with neurologic claudication and a group without neurologic claudication.

    Objectives

    It was intended to understand in which group the effects of axial loading can be expected when taking MRI on the lumbar spine.

    Summary of the Literature Review

    The study of Willen and Danielson found spinal canal stenosis, which cannot be found by existing methods comparing an MRI taken in bended posture of lumbar without axial loading implementation by MRI taken with axial loading implementation. Hiwatashi et al. also reported that there was a change of treatment direction by laminectomy after axial loading in patients who were intended to take a conservational treatment before the axial loading.

    Materials and Methods

    A total of 39 patients and 54 intervertebral discs were compared. The distances from a sagittal plane before and after intervertebral discs were compared by measuring a sectional area of dura mater in a horizontal plane image and two groups were compared by existence of patients' neurologic claudication.

    Results

    The AP diameter before and after a intervertebral discs increased into 41.98 mm from 41.1 mm on the average and the sectional area of dura mater showed 137.47mm2 before loading and 119.86mm2 after loading on the average. There was not a significant difference in the distances before and after axial loading implementation, but a significant difference was found in the sectional area of dura mater.

    Conclusion

    Axial loading would contribute to diagnose spinal disease, and especially, spinal canal stenosis in a patient group with claudication.

    Keywords
    Lumbar MRI; Axial loading MRI; Spinal stenosis; Claudication

    Figures

    Fig. 1
    Dynawell L-spine compression device.

    Fig. 2
    Preloading and postloading sagittal view of 51years old male patient, it shows increase of AP diameter after axial loading.

    Fig. 3
    Preloading and postloading axial view of 51 years old male patient, it shows sectional area of dura mater decrease after axial loading.

    Tables

    Table 1
    Descriptions of patient

    Table 2
    Patients classified by age.

    Table 3
    Mean values between preloading vs postloading

    Table 4
    Mean difference between patients with/without claudication

    References

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    MeSH Terms
    Constriction, Pathologic
    Dura Mater
    Humans
    Intervertebral Disc
    Laminectomy
    Posture
    Spinal Canal
    Spinal Diseases
    Spinal Stenosis
    Spine
    Metrics
    Share
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    Tables
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