Symptomatic degenerative alterations of the lumbar spine in young adult below 40, are rarely observed than in lumbar disc herniation.
Symptomatic degenerative processes are included spondylosis, Spinal ligament calcification, facet hypertrophy, ligamentum flavum hypertrophy and maybe associted with the herniated disc. Facet hypertrophy can cause encroachment on the canal,
resulting in
spinal stenosis. Lateral recess stenosis is better appreciated in CT rather than myelography.
we had performed a retrospective study on 20 patients presenting with signs and symptoms of lumbar monoradiculopathy, in whom all had degenerative lumbar spine changes.
@ES The results were as follow:
1. Eight Patients were third decade, twelve were fourth decade.
2. There were 3 patients who accompanied disc herniation, three patients with spondylolisthesis, the patients with spinal stenosis.
3. There was 1 case of vacuum disc, all twenty cases of lumbar cortical irregularity, seventeen cases of facet hypertrophy, four cases of ligamentum flavum hypertrophy.
4. soft tissue and bone window settings of spine CT are provided routinely, the latter is particularly useful in evaluating patients for spinal stenosis, facet disease and spondylolysis.
5. 5. In our experience, it is our standard policy to perform the spine CT in young adult patients evaluating for back pain.
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