Analysis of CT Pathology and Clinical Manifestation of Lumbar Lateral Recess Stenosis

Objective To explore the normal number of lumbar lateral recess and the relationship between the CT pathology and clinical manifestation in the patients who suffered from lumbar lateral recess stenosis. Methods Lumbar specimen of 15 normal adult corpse and 20 healthy volunteers were observed, and the anterior and posterior(AP) sagittal diameters of normal lumber lateral recess were measured. The CT pathology and clinical manifestation of 174 patients who suffered from lumbar lateral recess stenosis were analysed. Results At the levels of L1 and L2, the lateral recess was found in about 34% normal persons.At the levels of L3 to S1, the lateral recess was found in all healthy persons.All patients who suffered from lumbar lateral recess stenosis had narrow AP sagittal diameters of lumbar lateral recess (5mm).Several elements contributed to lateral recess stenosis were as following:bulging or herniating disk,fleshy flavus ligamentum,hyperplasia of the facet joints,lumbar spondylolisthesis,congenital-developmental lumbar stenosis,lumbar fracture,intradural spinal tumors and so on.The incidence of patients'clinical manifestation in different pathology was not similar. Conclusions Lateral recess are normal anatomic structure of lumbar spine.The most common pathological reasons of lumbar lateral recess stenosis are disk herniation,fleshy flavus ligamentum,hyperplasia of the facet joints.We must be according to the CT pathology and clinical manifestation of patients when we treat it.