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
. 2023 Apr;17(2):347-354.
doi: 10.31616/asj.2022.0033. Epub 2022 Sep 23.

Radiological Characteristics of Low-Grade Lytic Spondylolisthesis: Similarity to Dysplastic Spondylolisthesis

Sung Tan Cho  1 , Jin Hwan Kim  1
Affiliations

Radiological Characteristics of Low-Grade Lytic Spondylolisthesis: Similarity to Dysplastic Spondylolisthesis

Sung Tan Cho et al. Asian Spine J. 2023 Apr.

Abstract

Study design: Retrospective case-control study.

Purpose: This study aimed to analyze the etiology of low-grade lytic spondylolisthesis based on the radiologic features of the vertebra.

Overview of literature: According to the Marchetti-Bartolozzi classification scheme, high-grade lytic spondylolisthesis (Meyerding grade 3-5) is classified as dysplastic. However, determination of the etiology for low-grade lytic spondylolisthesis as developmental or traumatic remains controversial.

Methods: Patients admitted and treated for one-level (L4/5 or L5/S1) low-grade spondylolisthesis were included in the study. A total of 135 patients were divided into the degenerative or lytic spondylolisthesis groups according to their condition (81 patients [degenerative group] vs. 54 patients [lytic group]). To assess the level of similarity in the radiological findings between low-grade lytic spondylolisthesis and dysplastic spondylolisthesis, the pedicle diameters and vertebral heights of the L4 and L5 vertebrae were measured on computed tomography images. Measurements were then converted to each vertebra's ratio to reduce confounding factors among individuals.

Results: The affected vertebra had a smaller sagittal pedicle diameter/transverse pedicle diameter ratio in the low-grade lytic spondylolisthesis group compared to the degenerative group, and the posterior vertebral height/anterior vertebral height ratio of L5 was smaller in the L5/S1 lytic spondylolisthesis group compared to the degenerative spondylolisthesis group.

Conclusions: Low-grade lytic spondylolisthesis and dysplastic spondylolisthesis demonstrated similar radiological findings. Hence, surgeons should be attentive to the morphology of the vertebral body and posterior column during preoperative planning for the treatment of low-grade lytic spondylolisthesis.

Keywords: Dysplasia; Lumbar vertebrae; Spondylolisthesis; Vertebral body; Vertebral pedicles.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest

No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Measurement of the anterior vertebral height (AVH) and posterior vertebral height (PVH) at L5 vertebra. AVH of L5 is 25.35 mm. PVH of L5 is 18.24 mm. PVH/AVH is 18.24/25.35=71.95.
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Measurement of the transverse pedicle diameter (TPD) at L4 vertebra. Right TPD of L4 is 12.90 mm. Left TPD of L4 is 12.38 mm.
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Measurement of the sagittal pedicle diameter (SPD) at L5 vertebra. Right SPD of L5 is 7.75 mm.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Similar articles

See all similar articles

Cited by

References

    1. Niggemann P, Kuchta J, Beyer HK, Grosskurth D, Schulze T, Delank KS. Spondylolysis and spondylolisthesis: prevalence of different forms of instability and clinical implications. Spine (Phila Pa 1976) 2011;36:E1463–8. - PubMed
    1. Hammerberg KW. New concepts on the pathogenesis and classification of spondylolisthesis. Spine (Phila Pa 1976) 2005;30(6 Suppl):S4–11. - PubMed
    1. Wiltse LL. The etiology of spondylolisthesis. J Bone Joint Surg Am. 1962;44-A:539–60. - PubMed
    1. Lamartina C, Zavatsky JM, Petruzzi M, Specchia N. Novel concepts in the evaluation and treatment of high-dysplastic spondylolisthesis. Eur Spine J. 2009;18(Suppl 1):133–42. - PMC - PubMed
    1. Ikata T, Miyake R, Katoh S, Morita T, Murase M. Pathogenesis of sports-related spondylolisthesis in adolescents: radiographic and magnetic resonance imaging study. Am J Sports Med. 1996;24:94–8. - PubMed