Objective: to study the correlation between the characteristics of paravertebral muscles and lumbar bone mineral d. in postmenopausal women. Methods: 120 postmenopausal women, 59-96 years old, average(70.7 ±8.1) years old, were examined by conventional lumbar CT, according to whether there is osteoporosis fracture of lumbar spine, they were divided into fracture group and control group(age matching). The bone d.(total T-score) of patients was measured by DXA. The cross sectional area(CSA) and CSA ratio of the major and vertical muscles of the same patient were measured by conventional lumbar CT, and paired t-test was performed. The correlation between the total T-score value of 120 patients and the ratio of CSA of lumbosamus muscle, spinal muscle CSA and lumbosamus muscle/spinal muscle CSA at L2 and l4/5 levels was calculated with age as control variable. Results:The bone mineral d.(T-score) of the fracture group was significantly lower than that of the control group(P<0.01). With age as the control variable, partial correlation anal. showed that there was a significant correlation between L4/5 bone mineral d.(total T-score) and psoas major/erector spinae CSA ratio in all 120 patients(r=0.21, P=0.03). Conclusions: The characteristics of lumbar paravertebral muscles in postmenopausal women can be evaluated by conventional lumbar CT without addnl. cost. At L4/5 level, there was a correlation between paravertebral muscle characteristics and lumbar BMD. When the CSA ratio of psoas major/erector spinae is too low in the lower lumbar spine, it suggests that osteoporosis may occur.