STUDY DESIGN: We studied baseline MRIs of 155 @entity1 with intermittent @entity613 and @entity2649 . MRI and @entity1 data were gathered from @entity1 of a randomized trial. OBJECTIVE: It is believed that the narrowness of the lumbar spinal canal correlates tothe severity of complaints, and that it may be a good predictor of clinical outcome if treated. However, this hypothesis has never been (prospectively) tested. SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is an important tool to confirm the diagnosis of @entity2649 ( @entity2649 ) as a cause for intermittent @entity613 . METHODS: Three raters were asked to evaluate the MRIs (Schizas scale). Symptom severity at baseline and at one-yearfollow-up werequantified. The radiological scores were correlated with clinical baseline and outcome scores to assess diagnostic and prognostic value of MRI findings at baseline. RESULTS: There was good agreement on the clinically relevant level of @entity2649 (kappa range 0.57 to 0.64). MRI assessment of grading of compression (kappa 0.33-0.46) did not correlate with baseline MRDQ, nor with outcome based on postoperative change in MRDQ (p-value 0.61). However, both absence of epidural fat and presence of tortuous caudal nerves on MR images (kappa 0.53-0.72 and 0.67-0.70) in @entity1 with @entity2649 were relatively good predictors for satisfactory recovery after surgery (p-values 0.03 and <0.01). CONCLUSION: The grading of compression on the preoperative MRI is neither ambiguous nor correlating to severity of clinical condition. It does furthermore not have the ability to predict the outcome after one year if surgically treated. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 2.

Preoperative MR Imaging in XXXX with Intermittent Neurogenic Claudication: Relevance for Diagnosis and Prognosis.

@entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['participants', 'patients', 'patient'] @entity613 :: ('MESH:D007383', 'Disease') :: ['neurogenic claudication'] @entity2649 :: ('MESH:C563613', 'Disease') :: ['LSS', 'lumbar spinal stenosis']
@entity1 :: (9606,Species) :: ['Patients']
