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IJAR.2017.137

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Type of Article:  Original Research

Volume 5; Issue 1 (March 2017)

Page No.: 3665-3670

DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.16965/ijar.2017.137

A STUDY ON THE THICKNESS OF LIGAMENTUM FLAVUM IN ASYMPTOMATIC PERSONS AND PATIENTS WITH LOW BACK PAIN AND ITS VARIATION WITH GENDER IN EASTERN INDIAN POPULATION- AS MEASURED USING MRI

Panchali Som 1, Rajarshi Roy *2, Sumit Datta 3, Asis Kumar Ghosal 4, Ananda Kisor Pal 5, Shankhadeep Sarkar 6.

1 Assistant Professor, Department of Anatomy, Mata Gujri Memorial Medical College, Kishanganj, Purabbali, Dinajpur Road, Kishanganj, Bihar, India.

*2 Assistant Professor, Department of Anatomy, Jagannath Gupta Institute of Medical Science & Hospital, Budge Budge, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.

3 Consultant Radiologist, AMRI Hospital, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.

4 Professor and Head of the Department, Department of Anatomy, Institute of Post Graduate Medical Education & Research, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.

5 Professor and Head of the Department, Department of Orthopedics, Institute of Post Graduate Medical Education & Research, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.

6 Post Graduate Trainee, Department Respiratory Medicine, Medical college, Kolkata, West Bengal, India.

Corresponding Author: Assistant Professor, Department of Anatomy, Jagannath Gupta Institute of Medical Science & Hospital, Budge Budge, Kolkata, West Bengal, India. Mobile number: 09433110980 E-Mail: rajarshi.bubai@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

Background: Lumber spinal canal stenosis is common spinal disorder in elderly patients causing low back pain. Ligamentum Flavum (LF) covers most of the postero-lateral part of spinal canal, hypertrophy of which considered an important causative factor in development of lumbar spinal canal stenosis which significantly contributes to low back pain and sciatica.

Materials and Methods: To measure the thickness of LF in in lumbar region at L1-L2, L2-L3, L3-L4, L4-L5, L5-S1 level on MRI a cross sectional MRI study of lumbar spine was carried out between the age group of 20-50 yrs in IPGMER and SSKM hospital, Kolkata. The study population comprised of two groups with a total 120 population of which first group comprised of patients with low back pain (LBP) (n=60), second group was control groups, persons without low back pain (n=60). T1 weighted magnetic resonance images of lumbar segments were taken and thickness of LF was measured on both right and left side in all lumbar segments.

Results: The mean thickness of LF in lumbar segment in LBP group was 3.47mm which was significantly thicker than control group measuring 2.63 mm.

Conclusion:  Patients with low back pain had significantly thicker LF in lumbar segments when compared to asymptomatic persons in both the sides which may be a contributing factor for LBP.

Key words: Ligamenta flava, Lumbar spine, Low back pain.

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Cite this article: Panchali Som, Rajarshi Roy, Sumit Datta, Asis Kumar Ghosal, Ananda Kisor Pal, Shankhadeep Sarkar. A STUDY ON THE THICKNESS OF LIGAMENTUM FLAVUM IN ASYMPTOMATIC PERSONS AND PATIENTS WITH LOW BACK PAIN AND ITS VARIATION WITH GENDER IN EASTERN INDIAN POPULATION- AS MEASURED USING MRI. Int J Anat Res 2017;5(1):3665-3670. DOI: 10.16965/ijar.2017.137