Lumbar Paraspinal Muscle Morphometry and Spine Health: A Scoping Review

Background: Lumbar paraspinal muscle morphometry (e.g., cross-sectional area, fatty infiltration) is a growing area of interest in spine pathology. However, high heterogeneity exists in measurement techniques and clinical applications. Objectives: To map the methodologies for quantifying paraspinal muscle morphometry and their clinical associations with spine health. Eligibility Criteria: Adult human studies; Lumbar spine; Reporting muscle morphometry (CSA, fat, texture); All study designs except case reports. Sources: PubMed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, Cochrane, IEEE Xplore. Methods: JBI methodology for scoping reviews. Two independent reviewers for screening. Data will be charted and synthesized narratively. Charting Methods: Study characteristics, population, imaging and technique, morphometry metrics, clinical roles of the metrics.