Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2021 Dec;50(12):2503-2508.
doi: 10.1007/s00256-021-03809-5. Epub 2021 May 30.

Association between lumbosacral transitional vertebrae and spinal pathologies based on T2 whole-spine sagittal magnetic resonance imaging

Oded Rabau #  1   2 , Yossi Smorgick #  3   4 , Sigal Tal  2   5 , Eran Tamir  1   2 , Michael Levshin  1   2 , Yigal Mirovsky  1   2 , Yoram Anekstein  1   2
Affiliations

Association between lumbosacral transitional vertebrae and spinal pathologies based on T2 whole-spine sagittal magnetic resonance imaging

Oded Rabau et al. Skeletal Radiol. 2021 Dec.

Abstract

Purpose: To assess the association between 4, 5, or 6 lumbar spine vertebrae and the presence of lumbar spinal pathologies.

Methods: We reviewed all MRI reports and images performed between August 1st, 2018 and July 31st, 2019. Lumbar spine pathologies such as disc herniation, lytic spondylolisthesis, and spinal stenosis were recorded. The reviewer studied the T2 sagittal screening of the entire spine and counted down manually from C2 to T12 on the assumption that there are seven cervical and twelve dorsal vertebrae. We then recorded whether there were four, five, or six lumbar vertebrae.

Results: Our work incorporated a total of 1985 patients for whom T2-weighted entire spine sagittal MR images were obtainable. The study cohort's average age was 52.2 ± 15.9 years, comprising 944 males and 1041 females. One hundred and thirty-three patients (6.7%) had 4 lumbar-type vertebrae; 1799 (90.6%) had 5 lumbar-type vertebrae; and 53 (2.7%) had 6 lumbar-type vertebrae. There was a statistically significant difference between the rates of 6 lumbar-type vertebrae in males versus females (p < 0.05). There was a statistically significant difference with more spinal stenosis patients in the 6 lumbar-type vertebrae compared to the 4 or 5 lumbar-type vertebrae groups (p < 0.001).

Conclusion: Our study shows that spinal stenosis is significantly more common in patients with 6 lumbar-type vertebrae.

Keywords: Lumbar disc herniation; Lumbosacral transitional vertebrae; Spinal stenosis; Whole-spine sagittal MRI.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Luoma K, et al. Lumbosacral transitional vertebra: relation to disc degeneration and low back pain. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2004;29(2):200–5. - DOI
    1. Aihara T, et al. Intervertebral disc degeneration associated with lumbosacral transitional vertebrae: a clinical and anatomical study. J Bone Jt Surg Br. 2005;87(5):687–91. - DOI
    1. Smorgick Y, Mirovsky Y, Fischgrund JS, Baker KC, Gelfer Y, Anekstein Y. Radiographic predisposing factors for degenerative spondylolisthesis. Orthopedics. 2014;37(3):e260–4. - DOI
    1. Castellvi AE, Goldstein LA, Chan DP. Lumbosacral transitional vertebrae and their relationship with lumbar extradural defects. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 1984;9(5):493–5. - DOI
    1. Wigh RE. Anthony HF Jr Transitional lumbosacral discs: probability of herniation. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 1981;6(2):168–71. - DOI

LinkOut - more resources