Quantifying and Assessing Variations in the Intervertebral Foramen of L4-L5 Vertebrae using Magnetic Resonance Imaging

<b>Objective</b>: The primary objective of this study is to examine the relationship between the shape and size to age and sex of the L4/L5 intervertebral foramen, using a morphometric approach to enhance understanding of these associations.<br/><br/><b>Design</b>: It is a retrospective cross-sectional study.<br/><br/><b>Materials and Method</b>: The relevant data for the morphometric analysis includes MRI images of the lumbar spine. This study is divided into two parts: a reliability study and a subject study. Horos software was used to measure the intervertebral foramen (IVF) with the MRI images retrieved via DICOM.<br/><br/><b>Result</b>: The investigation revealed a strong positive correlation between RW2 and RW3 (r = 0.889, p &lt; 0.01), followed by LW2 and LW3 (r = 0.887, p &lt; 0.01), indicating that these dimensions vary significantly. RH1 shows a statistically significant difference between genders, with p &lt; 0.001. The chi-square test for the RIVF shapes revealed a Pearson value of 17.610 with 3 degrees of freedom and an asymptotic significance (2-sided) of less than 0.001.<br/><br/><b>Discussion</b>: These findings are consistent with the literature on degenerative changes in the spinal structure. The strong positive correlations among the dimensions of the IVF suggest a degree of bilateral symmetry or mutual influence, which could be of interest for further anatomical and clinical studies.<br/><br/><b>Conclusion</b>: The results revealed significant age and sex disparities in the intervertebral foramen. This study clarifies the anatomical variations in the lumbar region between sexes and contributes to a better understanding of spinal disorders.