MRI Findings in Patients with Spinal Canal Stenosis

Spinal canal stenosis is a narrowing of spaces in the spine that result in pressure on the spinal cord and/ or nerve roots. This condition is the most frequent indication for spinal surgery in individuals over 60 years. To evaluate the MRI findings of lumbar spinal stenosis in the north of Iran. During a three month period، 117 consecutive patients with MRI findings of spinal canal stenosis were enrolled in this study. The MRI equipment was a 1. 5 tesla GE system. T1W and T2W، sagittal and axial images were obtained and reported based on the established international standards، and the data were recorded in special questionnaires. Statistical analysis was done using SPSS version 15 software. The patients were 61. 5% females، and 38. 5% males with the mean age of 52±14. 2 years. Their age range was 20-89 years، most of whom within 40-60 years. Involvement of one level was more common than that of multiple levels (61. 5% vs. 38. 5%). With increasing age multilevel involvement was more evident. There was a significant correlation between age of the patients just with disc extrusion and facet joint hypertrophy (P <0. 05) The most involved levels were L4/L5 and L3/L4، and the least was L1/L2. The most frequent findings were disc bulging (82. 1%)، disc dehydration (76. 1%)، facet joint hypertrophy (64. 1%) and disc protrusion (50. 4%). The patients in the present study were a decade older than a relatively similar study in Tehran. Some of the results are in agreement with other reports and some are different. Further epidemiologic studies in different geographic areas of Iran are suggested to find more about the prevalence and the course of the degenerative diseases among the patients of different sexes and ages، and compare the results with those carried out in other parts of the world.