Assessment of ligamentum flavum thickness correlation with demographic variables and disc degeneration in Erbil governorate population sample

Abstract

Background and objectives:This study aimed to investigate the correlation between the ligamentum flavum thickness and age, sex, body mass index and type of disc degeneration. Method: 126 consecutive patients were examined prospectively. The sample included all the patients who had an MRI examination after they presented to Rizgary teaching hospital complaining of lower back and/or leg pain. The LF thickness was measured by using lumbo-sacral spine MRI. Results: The mean thickness of LF was more at L4-L5 (right: 0.27 mm, left 0.25 mm), L5-S1 (right: 0.25 mm, left 0.25 mm) levels, and was thicker on the right side. LF was thicker in females than males with a statistically significant measurement at L2-L3, L3-L4 and L4-L5 levels. The mean thickness of LF was more at older age group than the younger age groups, and the results were statistically different at left side of L2-L3 and right side of L4-L5 level. Thickness of LF was more among those with higher BMI for all levels except for L5-S1. In most cases, LF was thicker in patients with advanced disc degeneration. Conclusion: Thickening of the LF is associated to some extent with sex, age, BMI and disc degeneration. Thickening of the LF is potentially due to its buckling into the spinal canal secondary to disc degeneration more than to LF hypertrophy. Further research is needed to confirm these associations.

Magnetic resonance imaging assessment of thickened ligamentum flavum in degenerative lumbar spine-corelation with age, gender, degenerative disc, right-left asymmetry in central india population

“…But this was not statistically significant (p>0.05). This result agreed with Akreyi et al 10 In Akreyi et al 10 , significant difference was found at L2-3 level, but this disc level was not included in the present study. In Sakamaki et al study 8 , no corelation was found between thickness of LF and decrease of the disc height (disc degeneration) in elderly patients.…”

“…Kolte et al 11 and Akreyi et al 10 found that the mean LF thickness was more at L4-5 followed by L5-S1 and L3-4 whearas in Sairyo et al 7 thickest LF was found at L4-5 level. In Abbas et al study 9 and Altinkaya et al study 6 , thickest LF was found at L4-5 followed by L3-4 and than L5-S1.They related this to the hypermobility of spine at these two levels i.e L4-5 and L3-4.…”

“…It was also observed that 22 individuals of < 30 years of age (4.5% to 13.6% of these subjects) showed LF thickness of more than 4mm (depending on the vertebral level). Akreyi et al 10 found that LF thickness increased proportionately with age.…”

“…This agrees with other studies . 6,7,8,9,10,11 Altinkaya et al 6 and Sairyo et al 7 found that LF thickness at all levels increased significantly with age. They did this assessment on Magnetic resonance imaging.…”