Measurements of the lumbar spinal canal in normal adult Chinese people

ZHU Ji-lan; HE Shu-gang; HAN Jin-hua; ZHANG Ming-di

Journal of China Clinic Medical Imaging ›› 2008, Vol. 19 ›› Issue (5) : 350-352.

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Measurements of the lumbar spinal canal in normal adult Chinese people

ZHU Ji-lan1, HE Shu-gang2, HAN Jin-hua1, ZHANG Ming-di1

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Abstract

Objective: To determine the normal dimensions of the lumbar spinal canal of Chinese people with CT, and to provide criteria for diagnosing spinal stenosis. Methods: CT scans of 100 normal adult Chinese people age ranged from 21～55 years were studied to obtain accurate data of lumbar spinal canal. The study population was composed of 50 men and 50 women. Six parameters were measured from each vertebral level, including the transverse and sagittal diameters of lumbar spinal canal, the width of vertebral bodies, and the interfacet distance. All the data were statistically analyzed for differences between men and women. Result: The results showed that for Chinese people there is a significant sex difference(P<0.01 or P<0.001) for transverse interpedicular distance(IPD), vertebral body width(VBW), and interfacet distance(IFD), but not for sagittal diameter(SD). The ratio between the width of the vertebral body and the mean transverse diameter of the lumbar spinal canal(canal/body ration; C/B) is 0.52～0.55. The ratio between IPD and IFD is 0.76～0.79. Conclusion: The normal diameter of the lumbar spinal canal in adult Chinese people can be obtained from CT. From these data, we can provide some parameters for diagnosing spinal stenosis.

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Lumbar vertebrae / Tomography / X-ray computed

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ZHU Ji-lan;HE Shu-gang;HAN Jin-hua;ZHANG Ming-di. Measurements of the lumbar spinal canal in normal adult Chinese people[J]. Journal of China Clinic Medical Imaging. 2008, 19(5): 350-352