[Age changes in the lumbar spine: radiological follow-up studies over more than ten years].
To determine the morphological changes due to aging in the lumbar spine and lumbar intervertebral disc, radiological follow-up studies were performed for 245 subjects over more than 10 years. The results were as follows: 1) Disc narrowing increased with age and was not related to sex or occupation, 2) the occurrence and progression of disc narrowing were different between the upper and the lower lumbar discs. Severe disc degeneration was noted in the L4/5 disc. The growth of osteophytes in the lumbar spine was more progressive in males and in physical laborers but was not related to disc narrowing. Since all discs did not become narrow at a constant rate with aging, then disc degeneration should not be considered as a purely aging change, but should be regarded as partly related to aging. Causal factors of disc degeneration should be further investigated on genetic and environmental aspects in each individual case. The occurrence of ankylosing spinal hyperostosis (ASH, Forestier) was not related to disc narrowing. This study supported the concept that ASH was a different entity from disc narrowing although both changes sometimes occurred in combination together.
Yasukawa
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Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Shinshu University School of Medicine, Nagano, Japan.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011859:Radiography