CORRELATION OF RADIOGRAPHIC PARAMETERS WITH DURAL CROSS-SECTIONAL AREA IN LUMBAR SPINE STENOSIS

Abstract

Background: Lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) is a degenerative condition characterized by narrowing of the spinal canal and neural compression, causing low back pain, neurogenic claudication, and neurological deficits. This study aimed to determine the correlation between radiographic parameters and MRI-derived measures of stenosis severity in patients with LSS.

Methodology: This cross sectional study was carried out in Department of Neurosurgery in Services Hospital Lahore, from 10 October 2025 to 10 January 2026. A total of 60 patients aged 25-75 years with clinically and radiologically diagnosed lumbar spinal stenosis were included in the study. Lumbar lordosis angle, lumbosacral angle and lumbosacral joint angle were measured using plain radiographs, while the percentage stenosis and dural cross-sectional area (DCSA) were assessed using MRI. SPSS (Version 27.0) was used to analyze the data. Associations between radiographic and MRI parameters were evaluated using the Spearman's rank correlation coefficient.

Results:  weak and statistically significant negative correlation was found between lumbosacral angle and DCSA (ρ= −0.255 with p = 0.049). No statistically significant correlations were found between lumbar lordosis angle and DCSA (ρ = −0.195, p = 0.134), or between lumbosacral joint angle and DCSA (ρ = −0.194, p = 0.137). No statistically significant correlations were observed between percentage stenosis and any of the radiographic parameters (p > 0.05).

Conclusion: This study suggested a weak yet statistically significant negative correlation between the lumbosacral angle measured on radiograph and dural cross-sectional area on MRI. However, lumbar lordosis angle or lumbosacral joint angle did not show any correlation with the dural cross-sectional area. Percentage stenosis assessed on MRI did not have any statistically significant correlation with any of the radiographic parameters.