ABSTRACT
Lumbosacral nerve root anomalies (LNRA) refers to the abnormality of lumbosacral nerve root in morphology, course and initial position, which may be related to the abnormal migration of nerve root in embryo. Imaging examination is a commonly used method for localization and qualitative diagnosis of LNRA. Clinically, many classification systems have been established based on imaging results, autopsy reports and Book observations. However, the lack of evaluation on the advantages and disadvantages of each classification is not conducive to the development of clinical work. In this paper, the classification and characteristics of LNRA at home and abroad were reviewed, and the advantages and limitations of each classification were evaluated. Through the literature retrieval and summary, it is not reliable to design the corresponding classification based on the imaging results. Not only is the detection rate of MRI as the preferred examination method far lower than that of autopsy, but also it is not an intuitive study of the lesions, and its authenticity is questionable. Based on the classification of autopsy results, the spinal cord is directly stripped in the study, excluding the surrounding soft tissue and bone marrow. The interference of spinal bone structure is more conducive to the comprehensive observation of variation, which has a certain guiding significance for clinical; based on the classification of intraoperative observation results, the number of research samples is large, easy to obtain, and there are matching imaging data to do the follow-up comparative study, among which the Neidre classification is themost widely used classification, which provides considerable convenience for clinical work. LNRA may not be treated as a common disease due to the limitation of technology and lack of understanding. The lack of specific symptoms and the characteristics of combined compression will affect the detection rate. In terms of treatment, traditional discectomy and spinal canal decompression cannot meet the clinical needs. More new surgical methods need to be proposed to improve the prognosis and quality of life of patients.