An increase in the degree of olisthesis during axial loading reduces the dural sac size and worsens clinical symptoms in patients with degenerative spondylolisthesis

The present study demonstrated that the increase in the degree of olisthesis was significantly correlated with the reduction in the dural sac size detected on axial-loaded MRI and worsened the severity of clinical symptoms in patients with DS. These results suggest that axial-loaded MRI may be a useful imaging study for detecting dynamic changes in the degree of olisthesis during axial loading to the lumbar spine related to the narrowing of the spinal canal and the severity of clinical symptoms in the assessment of patients with DS.