Clinical anatomy : official journal of the American Association of Clinical Anatomists & the British Association of Clinical Anatomists
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Hypertrophy of the ligamentum flavum (LF) can reduce the diameter of the spinal canal posteriorly. Such stenosis may significantly compress the dural sac and nerve roots, resulting in symptoms, even without a bulging anulus fibrosus or herniated nucleus pulposus. We conducted an anatomical study to determine the influence of age and gender on the thickness of the LF at the lower lumbar levels using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). ⋯ Furthermore, the LF thicknesses at L5-S1 bilaterally were significantly greater than on the corresponding sides at L4-L5 (P < 0.05). The LF is an important anatomical structure, which might cause low back or leg pain. Therefore, the thickness of the LF should be measured and evaluated carefully in the case of spinal stenosis.