title: Lumbosacral morphology in lumbar disc herniation: a "chicken and egg" issue.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to analyze the relationship, if any, between lumbar disc herniation and lumbosacral morphology.
  
  
  METHODS
  Intervertebral disc angles (IDA), lumbar lordosis angle (LLA), lumbosacral lordosis angle (LSLA), lumbosacral angle (LSA), and sacral tilt (ST) were measured on lumbar magnetic resonance imaging of 224 patients with LDH (n=151) and without LDH (n=73) and were then compared.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Regarding LLA, LSLA, LSA and ST, there were no significant differences between the 2 groups. The smallest IDA of each level (except L2-L3) was detected at the same level with disc herniation. When the relationship between the grade of disc herniation and IDA was evaluated in patients with LDH, angles of L3-L4 and L4-L5 levels were significantly smaller in patients with extruded disc herniation (p=0.009 and p=0.013, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite changes in IDA by grade and level of disc herniation, no relation was found between lumbosacral alignment and LDH.
authors.affiliation: Çukurova University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Adana, Turkey. icbenlidayi@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: İlke
authors.initials: İ
authors.lastname: Coşkun Benlidayı
authors.affiliation: Çukurova University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Adana, Turkey.
authors.forename: Sibel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Başaran
authors.affiliation: Çukurova University Faculty of Medicine, Department of Biostatistics, Adana, Turkey.
authors.forename: Gülşah
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Seydaoğlu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007403:Intervertebral Disc / Q000473:pathology*; D007405:Intervertebral Disc Displacement / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008141:Lordosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000473:pathology*; D008161:Lumbosacral Region / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D014421:Turkey; D055815:Young Adult