Types and Prevalence of Coexisting Spine Lesions on Whole Spine Sagittal MR Images in Surgical Degenerative Spinal Diseases.
10.3349/ymj.2010.51.3.414
- Author:
In Ho HAN
1
;
Sang Hyun SUH
;
Sung Uk KUH
;
Dong Kyu CHIN
;
Keun Su KIM
Author Information
1. Department of Neurosurgery, Pusan National University School of Medicine, Busan, Korea.
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Spine;
magnetic resonance imaging;
whole body imaging
- MeSH:
Adult;
Aged;
Aged, 80 and over;
Female;
Humans;
Intervertebral Disk Displacement/diagnosis;
Magnetic Resonance Imaging/*methods;
Male;
Middle Aged;
Prevalence;
Spinal Diseases/classification/*diagnosis;
Spinal Stenosis/diagnosis;
Young Adult
- From:Yonsei Medical Journal
2010;51(3):414-420
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:English
-
Abstract:
PURPOSE: We investigated types and prevalence of coexisting lesions found on whole spine sagittal T2-weighted images (WSST2I) acquired from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and evaluated their clinical significance in surgical degenerative spinal diseases. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Coexisting spinal lesions were investigated using WSST2I from 306 consecutive patients with surgical degenerative spinal diseases. Severity of coexisting lesions was classified into four grades (0-3). Lesions of grade 2 and 3 were defined as "meaningful coexisting spine lesions" (MCSL). Degenerative spinal diseases were classified into three pathologies: simple disc herniation, degenerative spinal stenosis, and ligament ossification disease. The relationships between MCSL, gender, age, and primary spine lesions were analyzed. RESULTS: MCSL were found in 95 patients: a prevalence of 31.1%. Five out of 95 MCSL were surgically managed. The most common types of MCSL were disc herniation with 13.1% prevalence, followed by degenerative stenosis (9.5%) and ligament ossification diseases (6.8%). Older patients (age > or = 40) showed a significantly higher prevalence of MCSL than younger patients. There was no significant difference between male and female patients. The prevalence of MCSL was significantly higher (52.4%) in ligament ossification diseases than in disc herniation or spinal stenosis. CONCLUSION: Degenerative spinal diseases showed a high prevalence of MCSL, especially in old ages and ligament ossification diseases. WSST2I is useful for diagnosing coexisting spinal diseases and to avoid missing a significant cord-compressing lesion.
