MRI-Based Estimation of Lumbar CSF Volume and Its Clinical Impact on Spinal Anaesthesia

January 2, 2026 updated by: Samsun University

This prospective observational study aims to investigate the clinical impact of lumbar cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) volume on spinal anesthesia characteristics. A total of 40 adult patients, aged 18 to 75 years and classified as ASA physical status I-III, who had undergone 3D T2-weighted lumbosacral MRI within the past six months, were enrolled. Intrathecal anesthesia was administered with 4 mL (20 mg) of 0.5% hyperbaric bupivacaine via the L3-L4 interspace in a sitting position.

CSF volume was measured from the lower half of the L1 vertebral body to the sacral end using the volume of interest (VOI) method on sagittal 3D T2-weighted MR images, processed with the ITK-SNAP software. Primary outcome was the correlation between lumbosacral CSF volume and peak sensory block level. Secondary outcomes included correlations with the onset time and duration of sensory and motor block, two-segment regression time, and patient characteristics such as height, weight, BMI, and age.

Study Overview

Status

Completed

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

Spinal anesthesia is a widely used and effective alternative to general anesthesia for surgeries performed below the L₁-L₂ level, where the spinal cord ends. However, the distribution and duration of local anesthetics in spinal anesthesia are often unpredictable due to factors such as anesthetic dose, injection speed and location, patient position, age, and body habitus. One important yet less predictable factor is the individual variability in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) volume, especially in the lumbosacral region. Since CSF dilutes the intrathecally administered anesthetic, differences in CSF volume can significantly impact drug concentration and, consequently, block level and duration.

Advancements in imaging techniques such as ultrasound and MRI have contributed to more accurate estimations of CSF volume. While most studies have used ultrasound-based estimations, MRI-based evaluations remain limited. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effect of lumbosacral CSF volume, measured via 3D T₂-weighted MRI, on the duration and extent of spinal anesthesia. Understanding this relationship could improve predictability in spinal anesthesia and enhance personalized anesthetic planning.

Study Type

Observational

Enrollment (Actual)

40

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Sampling Method

Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Patients aged between 18 and 75 years, classified as ASA physical status I-III, who had undergone 1.5 Tesla lumbosacral MRI within the last six months.

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Aged 18-75 years
  • ASA physical status I-III
  • Who had undergone 1.5 Tesla lumbosacral MRI within the last six months

Exclusion Criteria:

  • The presence of neurological diseases and allergy to local anesthetics
  • Refusal to undergo spinal anesthesia
  • Contraindications for spinal anesthesia
  • Local infection at the lumbar site

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Time Frame
The primary outcome was to assess the correlation between lumbosacral CSF volume and peak sensory block level.
Time Frame: From enrollment to the end of study 33 months
From enrollment to the end of study 33 months

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Samsun University

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

February 1, 2023

Primary Completion (Actual)

September 1, 2025

Study Completion (Actual)

November 15, 2025

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

November 21, 2025

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

January 2, 2026

First Posted (Estimated)

January 12, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Estimated)

January 12, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

January 2, 2026

Last Verified

January 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Other Study ID Numbers

  • SUKAEK-2022/1/14

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

product manufactured in and exported from the U.S.

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

Clinical Trials on Anaesthesia

Clinical Trials on Distribution of spinal anesthetic agent

Search Similar Trials

Sponsors and Collaborators

Medical Conditions

Drug Interventions

CROs by country

CROs in India

Conditions

Rare Diseases

Drug Interventions

Dietary Supplements

Sponsor/Collaborators

Locations

Subscribe