Kinetic magnetic resonance imaging analysis of lumbar segmental mobility in patients without significant spondylosis.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to examine lumbar segmental mobility using kinetic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients with minimal lumbar spondylosis.


METHODS
Mid-sagittal images of patients who underwent weight-bearing, multi-position kinetic MRI for symptomatic low back pain or radiculopathy were reviewed. Only patients with a Pfirrmann grade of I or II, indicating minimal disc disease, in all lumbar discs from L1-2 to L5-S1 were included for further analysis. Translational and angular motion was measured at each motion segment.


RESULTS
The mean translational motion of the lumbar spine at each level was 1.38 mm at L1-L2, 1.41 mm at L2-L3, 1.14 mm at L3-L4, 1.10 mm at L4-L5 and 1.01 mm at L5-S1. Translational motion at L1-L2 and L2-L3 was significantly greater than L3-4, L4-L5 and L5-S1 levels (P < 0.007). The mean angular motion at each level was 7.34° at L1-L2, 8.56° at L2-L3, 8.34° at L3-L4, 8.87° at L4-L5, and 5.87° at L5-S1. The L5-S1 segment had significantly less angular motion when compared to all other levels (P < 0.006). The mean percentage contribution of each level to the total angular mobility of the lumbar spine was highest at L2-L3 (22.45 %) and least at L5/S1 (14.71 %) (P < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
In the current study, we evaluated lumbar segmental mobility in patients without significant degenerative disc disease and found that translational motion was greatest in the proximal lumbar levels whereas angular motion was similar in the mid-lumbar levels but decreased at L1-L2 and L5-S1.
Orthopaedic Spine Department, Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, China.
Yanlin
Y
Tan
Bayan G
BG
Aghdasi
Scott R
SR
Montgomery
Hirokazu
H
Inoue
Chang
C
Lu
Jeffrey C
JC
Wang
D000328:Adult; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D055959:Intervertebral Disc Degeneration / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000502:physiology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular / Q000502:physiology*; D055009:Spondylosis / Q000503:physiopathology