title: A clinically relevant MRI grading system for lumbar central canal stenosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To correlate lumbar spinal stenosis as graded on noncontrast magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with clinical symptomatology.
  
  
  METHODS
  Five grades were developed for lumbar central canal stenosis based on compression of the dural sac and cauda equina. We studied concordance in 112 patients between the grading system and the anteroposterior diameter of spinal canal, dural sac cross-sectional area, Oswestry disability index, and the pain visual analogue scale (VAS).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Intra- and interobserver agreement was high. Although VAS was not significantly different between groups (P=.257), all other factors were significant (P≤.005).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The MRI grading system reliably predicted the degree of stenosis and associated disability.
authors: Department of Orthopaedics, Hainan Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Haikou, 570203, China; Department of Orthopaedics, School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China.
authors: Shiguo
authors: S
authors: Yuan
authors: Department of Orthopaedics, School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China.
authors: Yucong
authors: Y
authors: Zou
authors: Department of Orthopaedics, School of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou, 510515, China.
authors: Yikai
authors: Y
authors: Li
authors: Department of Orthopaedics, Hainan Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Haikou, 570203, China.
authors: Meixiong
authors: M
authors: Chen
authors: Department of Head of Femur, Linyi Peoples' Hospital, Linyi, 276003, China. Electronic address: yueyongbin_1211@163.com.
authors: Yongbin
authors: Y
authors: Yue
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002420:Cauda Equina / Q000473:pathology; D003251:Constriction, Pathologic / Q000473:pathology; D004185:Disability Evaluation; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000209:etiology; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000473:pathology*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement; D013115:Spinal Canal / Q000473:pathology; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000473:pathology; D013130:Spinal Stenosis / Q000473:pathology*
keywords: Grading; Low back pain; Lumbar spinal stenosis; Magnetic resonance imaging