Study design: Retrospective radiographic review.
Objectives: Investigate and quantify transverse pedicle angle (TPA), the medial-to-lateral pedicle angulation, and its potential association with pelvic incidence (PI) in patients with isthmic lumbar spondylolisthesis (ISLS) and compare to those with degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis (DSLS) and controls.
Methods: A total of 200 patients (64 ISLS, 70 DSLS, 66 control) were included. TPA was calculated at the L3-5 vertebral levels using axial computed tomography slices. PI was measured on lateral radiographs. Two independent observers completed the measurements. As a sensitivity analysis, TPA was also measured at the most cranial and caudal aspects of the L3-5 vertebral levels of a subset of participants (29 ISLS, 31 DSLS, 35 control) and the cranial to caudal change (ΔTPA) was calculated.
Results: TPA values (mean ± SD) at L4 and L5 for ISLS (L4: 17.3° ± 3.7°, L5: 26.0° ± 5.2°) were significantly higher than those for the DSLS (L4: 14.3° ± 3.8°, L5: 22.2° ± 5.0°) and control (L4: 14.5° ± 3.9°, L5: 20.7° ± 3.8°) groups. TPA in the DSLS group was significantly higher than controls at L5, but not L4. High PI predicted wider TPA at L5 in both DSLS and ISLS. ΔTPA (mean ± SD) increased sequentially proceeding through the L3-5 spinal levels for the ISLS (L3: 6.8° ± 4.4°, L4: 8.7° ± 5.2°, L5: 15.6° ± 9.0°), DSLS (L3: 8.2° ± 6.0°, L4: 8.3° ± 5.9°, L5: 18.3° ± 7.2°), and control (L3: 6.8° ± 4.4°, L4: 8.2° ± 4.7°, L5: 17.7° ± 7.0°) groups.
Conclusions: TPA was significantly increased in ISLS compared with DSLS and controls. High PI significantly predicted high TPA at the L5 vertebral level in ISLS and DSLS. ΔTPA increased sequentially proceeding through the lumbar spine across groups.
Keywords: degenerative spondylolisthesis; isthmic spondylolisthesis; pelvic incidence; spondylolysis; transverse pedicle angle.