BACKGROUND The condition of paraspinal muscles is known to be associated with some variables such as age, gender, and low back pain. It is generally agreed that these muscles play an important role in the stability and functional movements of the lumbar vertebral column. Although spinal instability has been shown to play an essential role in degenerative lumbar spinal stenosis (DLSS), the role ...

Intramuscular myxoma (IM) is a benign neoplasm of mesenchymal origin. We report a rare case of IM which was located in the lumbosacral paraspinal muscles. A 62-year-old female patient presented with progressive low back pain for 2 months, and the radiologic findings showed a large mass (4.0×3.5×6.5 cm) in the right lumbosacral paraspinal area. Total resection of the tumor was performed and the ...

BACKGROUND Attempts to differentiate benign and malignant vertebral fractures may be difficult, particularly when there is no obvious evidence of malignancy. Since early diagnosis and appropriate management of malignant vertebral fractures are important, a reliable imaging modality is required. METHODS From January 1996 to December 2002, 48 patients with malignant vertebral fractures and 50 p...

OBJECTIVE To determine whether stature recovery and paraspinal muscle activity can be altered in individuals with and without chronic low-back pain by assuming different unloading positions. DESIGN A case-control study considering the effects of unloading position on stature recovery in individuals with and without chronic low-back pain. BACKGROUND Stature recovery has been documented to be...

A 45-year-old lady presented to us with a large subcutaneous swelling on her left side of back of 1 year duration. Local examination revealed a 13×12 cm spherical swelling on the left lower paraspinal region. Magnetic resonance imaging of lumbosacral spine revealed a 13×12 cm mass having solid and cystic components with internal septations in the subcutaneous tissue of left posterior paraspinal...

BACKGROUND Primary extradural meningiomas (PEMs) are rare, particularly those involving the paraspinal cervical area, so little is known about them. We identified a new case and compared it with 10 previous cases, addressed the diagnostic challenges, and highlighted the clinical and pathologic characteristics. METHODS We conducted a case report and literature review of PEM cases reported sinc...

OBJECTIVE Decompressive laminectomy is one of the most commonly used surgical methods for the treatment of spinal stenosis. We retrospectively examined the risk factors that induce spinal instability, including slippage (spondylolisthesis) and/or segmental angulation after decompressive laminectomy on the lumbar spine. METHODS From January 1, 2006 to June 30, 2010, 94 consecutive patients und...

This narrative review investigated imaging parameters of the paraspinal muscles and their association with spinal degenerative features and low back pain (LBP) found in the literature. Three principal signs of muscle degeneration were detected on imaging: decreased muscle size, decreased radiographic density, and increased fat deposits. Men have a higher density of paraspinal muscles than women...

BACKGROUND Bone mineral density (BMD) is known to have a positive correlation with lean body mass. Several studies have also reported the positive correlation between muscle power and BMD. From this point of view, we hypothesized BMD of lumbar spine to have a positive correlation with muscle mass. METHODS Seventy-nine female patients aged between 60 and 75 years old and who underwent magnetic...