ABSTRACT

Our aim is to understand if there is a relationship about the numbering of LSTV with iliolumbar ligament or not.

We inspected 350 lumbar MRI. Any pathologies or traumatic injuries with lumbosacral segment were excluded from the study. We found 58 patient with LSTV and 210 patient as control group without any pathology or segmental anomalies. LSTV patients were classified according to the Castellvi classification.

The ILL originated in 100 % from the L5 vertebra in the control group. The ratio in the Castellvi type I group was 85.7 %. In the type II and higher group, the ILL originated only from L5 is 29.5 %.

We observed that ILL was always present and its origin always involved the last lumbar vertebra but the level of the origin of the ILL is unreliable for identification of the L5 vertebra in the setting of a LSTV type II or higher.