A Study of Lumbar Canal by M.R.I. in Clinically Symptomatic and Asymptomatic Subjects

The study of lumbo sacral canal becomes important in persons with low back ache and other related complaints. The present study “Radiological Evaluation of the Diameters of Vertebral Canal in Lumbosacral Region in Clinically Symptomatic and Asymptomatic Subjects” is aimed to evaluate the clinical relevance of stenosis of spinal canal through MRI. Three parameters of the central canal, i.e., anteroposterior diameter, transverse diameter and cross sectional area are taken into account to ascertain any deviation from normalcy. The study was conducted on 59 subjects including 43 symptomatic and 16 apparently healthy volunteers. The total symptomatic cases were further grouped as stenosed and nonstenosed. 79.0% cases were having stenosis whereas 21.0% cases were nonstenosed. Among 79% of the symptomatic stenosed cases hardly any narrowing of canal was seen at L1 and L2 levels whereas from the L3 level a possibility of narrowing increases as we go down upto S1. A few asymptomatic cases were also found to have narrow canal.