Original Article

The Role of the Wedge Vertebra, Short Vertebral Body, Multifidus Muscle Atrophy in Isthmic Spondylolisthesis; an MRI Study

10.5222/otd.2016.1056

  • Elif Evrim Öner
  • Hülya Kurtul Yıldız
  • Berrin Erok

Received Date: 13.07.2015 Accepted Date: 19.02.2016 Eur Arc Med Res 2016;32(3):140-145

Objective:

We aimed to establish the frequency of short vertebral body, wedge vertebra and lumbar multifidus muscle atrophy in patients with isthmic spondylolisthesis and bilateral spondylolysis and to evaluate their places in the physiopathology.

Material and Methods:

This study was planned retrospectively with 1400 patients who had a lumbar Magnetic Resonance Imaging; 44 patients with isthmic spondylolisthesis and 35 patients with bilateral spondylolysis but without spondylolisthesis and control group (n:44) were examined. Data analysis was performed using the NCSS 10 program. Statistical significance was set as p<0,05.

Results:

The percentage wedging was significantly larger in the 1. and 2. groups than in the control subjects (p<0.05). While we detected short vertebral body in 13 patients from 35 patients with spondylolysis, we established this in only one patient from the control group (n:44). The frequency of short vertebral body is statistically obviously lower in group 3 than the other two groups (p<0.001). LMM atrophy was seen in excess in the patients with isthmic spondylolisthesis when compare with the other groups (p<0.001).

Conclusion:

Wedge vertebra, short vertebral body and multifidus muscle atrophy due to chronic degeneration and overload on hyperlordotic spine, are mostly seen together

Keywords: isthmic spondylolisthesis, lumbosacral area, multifidus atrophy, short vertebral body, wedging vertebra