PMID: 25729085Mar 3, 2015Paper

Diagnosis of a 64-year-old patient presenting with suspected lumbar spinal stenosis: an evidence-based case report

The Journal of the Canadian Chiropractic Association
Peter C Emary

Abstract

To present an evidence-based case report on the diagnosis of a patient with suspected lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS). A 64-year-old man presented with signs and symptoms suggestive of LSS, but physical examination and diagnostic imaging findings were inconclusive. Other co-morbidities included diabetes, congestive heart failure, and left hip joint osteoarthritis. PubMed was searched for systematic reviews of diagnostic studies on LSS. Two recent articles were found and appraised with respect to their validity, importance, and applicability in diagnosing the current patient. Copies of his magnetic resonance imaging were also obtained and used in combination with the appraised literature, including diagnostic test specificities and likelihood ratios, to confirm an LSS diagnosis. This case illustrates how research evidence can be used in clinical practice, particularly in the diagnosis of an individual patient.

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