Selected Acronyms Used in This Report

Publication Details

ACR: American College of Radiology

ADL: Activities of daily living

AHRQ: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality

AO: Arbeitsgemeinschaft fur Osteosynthesefragen

AP: Anteroposterior

BESD: Binomial effect size display

CAR: Canadian Association of Radiologists

CAT: Computerized axial tomography

CI: Confidence interval

CL: Confidence limit

CT: Computed tomography

df: Degree(s) of freedom

EPC: Evidence-based Practice Center

HCFA: Health Care Financing Administration (now Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services)

HCUP: Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project

JOA: Japanese Orthopedic Association

LSS: Lumbar spinal stenosis

MECQA: Medical Cost and Quality Assistance

MRI: Magnetic resonance imaging

NAMCS: National Ambulatory Medical Care Survey

NS: Nonsignificant

NSAID: Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug

NSN: National Spine Network

QOL: Quality of life

RCT: Randomized controlled trial

SD: Standard deviation

SWDL: Standard wide decompressive laminectomy

TENS: Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation