Paraspinal muscle volume in patients with Scheuermanńs Kyphosis
Kaiser R., Behrbalk E., Waldauf P., Rehousek P., Perez B., Mehdian H.
To measure the cross-sectional area (CSA) of paraspinal muscles in Scheuermanńs kyphosis patients. Preoperative MRI images of 16 Scheuermanńs kyphosis patients were analysed and compared to 16 patients with normal MRI images (control group). The CSAs were measured at L3-4 and L4-5. Both groups showed similar demographics and patient characteristics. The multifdus muscles CSA were found to be signifcantly smaller at L3/4 level in Scheuermanńs kyphosis patients (p = 0.022 on the left and p = 0.016 on the right side compared to control group). There was no signifcant change in multifdus CSA found at L4/5. The mean CSA of the extensor spinae muscles group were signifcantly smaller at all levels in Scheuermanńs kyphosis patients : p = 0.001 bilaterally at L3/4 and p = 0.015 right side and p = 0.009 left side at L4/5 level. This study shows that patients with Scheuermanńs kyphosis deformity have signifcantly smaller CSA of lumbar multifdus and extensor spinae muscles.