Abstract

Introduction: Despite the availability of many imaging and clinical criteria for diagnosis of lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS), its correct diagnosis is a challenge for clinicians and radiologists. Aim: The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings and clinical symptoms in symptomatic and asymptomatic patients with suspected LSS in MRI. Methods: This study is a case-control study. Two groups of 100 symptomatic and asymptomatic individuals (aged 20 to 84 years) with suspected lumbar spinal canal stenosis who referred to the imaging unit for lumbosacral MRI were included. The clinical symptoms and radiological parameters in MRI for all patients were recorded and relationship between them were evaluated. Results: Among the quantitative imaging findings, only the anterior-posterior diameter of the canal at the level of the intervertebral disc, the central spinal canal cross-section area and lateral recesses cross-sectional area were valuable. Coefficient of stenosis was calculated for the case and control groups which had statistically significant difference (p

Key words: Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Spinal Stenosis, Signs and Symptoms, Lumbar Vertebrae.