[Radiographic and myeloscintigraphic evaluation of normal aging changes in the lumbar spine and the relationship with lumbar spinal canal stenosis].

In 250 subjects with normal lumbar spine and 39 patients with lumbar spinal canal stenosis (LSCS), radiographic measurement such as canal-to-body ratio (CBR), intervertebral space, inclination and thickness of the facet were performed to statistically evaluate normal degenerative changes in lumbar spine and the difference between normal degenerative changes and those of LSCS. Results were as follows: in normal subjects, 1) intervertebral space became narrower with aging (below L3-4), 2) the inclination of the facet increased in all lumbar spines, 3) the thickness of facet showed no relationship with aging but correlated with inclination (below L3-4). In LSCS, on the other hand, 1) almost no abnormal CBR values were found, 2) canal stenosis was most common at the level of L4-5 and and L3-4, 3) no factor was independently related to the degree of narrowing. Finally, normal subjects patients with LSCS had significant differences in almost all measurement parameters.