Infrarenal aortic diameter, aortoiliac bifurcation level and lumbar disc degenerative changes: a cross-sectional MR study

Purpose To examine a possible correlation of infrarenal aortic diameter and aortoiliac bifurcation level with lumbar disc degenerative changes. Methods This was a cross-sectional, single-center retrospective study on lumbar magnetic resonance images of patients with low back pain ( n = 496). Lumbar disc degenerative changes were reported on the basis of the Pfirrmann grading system and accordingly, patients were grouped as with grade I–II findings ( n = 192), with grade III findings ( n = 64) and with grade IV–V findings ( n = 240). The groups were matched for sex, body mass index and the history of diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hyperlipidemia and smoking. Infrarenal aortic diameter and aortoiliac bifurcation level were compared between the three groups. Results Pairwise comparisons between the three groups of patients with Pfirrmann grades of I–II, III and IV–V revealed significant differences ( p