Neuroradiological Assessment of the Thickness of the Yellow Ligament in Degenerative Lumbar Canal Stenosis

Abstract

In this study, we express numerically the thickness of the yellow ligament at the level of L3/4, L4/5 and L5/S1 in degenerative lumbar canal stenosis caused by thickened yellow ligament. The thickness of the yellow ligament in patients with degenerative lumbar canal stenosis (stenosis group) and age-matched lumbar disc herniation patients (hernia group; as a control) were measured on CT myelography. In the stenosis group, the mean thickness of the yellow ligament were 4.2±1.5 mm (L3/4), 5.3±1.9 mm (L4/5) and 5.6±2.2 mm (L5/S1). In the hernia group, the mean thickness of the yellow ligament were 3.0±2.0 mm (L3/4) and 3.8±2.4 mm (L4/5) and 4.8±2.7 mm (L5/S1). Statistically differences were observed between the stenosis group and the hernia group in all three levels (p<0.05).