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Anteroposterior diameter of the vertebral canal in cervical region: Comparison of anatomical, computed tomographic, and plain film measurements
Author(s) -
Şenol Utku,
Çubuk Metin,
Sindel Muzaffer,
Yildirim Fatoş,
Yilmaz Saim,
Özkaynak Can,
Lüleci Ersin
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
clinical anatomy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.667
H-Index - 71
eISSN - 1098-2353
pISSN - 0897-3806
DOI - 10.1002/1098-2353(200101)14:1<15::aid-ca1002>3.0.co;2-x
Subject(s) - computed tomographic , medicine , sagittal plane , spinal canal , tomography , anatomy , significant difference , nuclear medicine , computed tomography , cervical vertebrae , radiology , spinal cord , psychiatry
The purpose was to compare the computed tomographic and plain film measurements with those of anatomical specimens to determine the antero‐posterior diameter of the spinal canal in cervical region. Antero‐posterior diameters of 75 cervical vertebral canals (15 sets of C3–C7) were measured anatomically at two different levels. Computed tomographic and plain film measurements were also obtained at the corresponding levels. Considering anatomical measurements as the gold standard, plain film and computed tomographic measurements were statistically compared. Interobserver and intraobserver differences were also evaluated. At the uppermost pedicle levels, there was no statistically significant difference between plain films and anatomical measurements, a good correlation. However, at lowermost pedicle level there was a statistically significant difference between plain films and anatomical measurements but not between tomographic and anatomical measurements. Our results suggest that plain films can accurately estimate cervical spinal canal mid‐sagittal diameter at the uppermost pedicle level and be used as a first step examination for the evaluation of cervical spinal stenoses. Clin. Anat. 14:15–18, 2001. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.