Evolution of the Cross-Sectional Area of the Osseous Lumbar Spinal Canal across Decades: A CT Study with Reference Ranges in a Swiss Population

Abstract

Spinal canal dimensions may vary according to ethnicity as reported values differ among studies in European and Chinese populations. Here, we studied the change in the cross-sectional area (CSA) of the osseous lumbar spinal canal measured in subjects from three ethnic groups born 70 years apart and established reference values for our local population. This retrospective study included a total of 1050 subjects born between 1930 and 1999 stratified by birth decade. All subjects underwent lumbar spine computed tomography (CT) as a standardized imaging procedure following trauma. Three independent observers measured the CSA of the osseous lumbar spinal canal at the L2 and L4 pedicle levels. Lumbar spine CSA was smaller at both L2 and L4 in subjects born in later generations (p < 0.001; p = 0.001). This difference reached significance for patients born three to five decades apart. This was also true within two of the three ethnic subgroups. Patient height was very weakly correlated with the CSA at both L2 and L4 (r = 0.109, p = 0.005; r = 0.116, p = 0.002). The interobserver reliability of the measurements was good. This study confirms the decrease of osseous lumbar spinal canal dimensions across decades in our local population.

Usefulness of fetal sacral length measurement for the prediction of gestational age

“…La fortaleza de este estudio es que es el primero en evaluar la utilidad de las medidas de LS para predecir la EG en gestantes venezolanas con una muestra similar a otras investigaciones previas. Sin embargo, entre las limitaciones está que fue realizado en una sola institución y los resultados pueden ser difíciles primario de osificación está situado en el cuerpo vertebral y otros dos centros están situados a cada lado del arco neural posterior (19,20). La evidencia radiográfica indica que el patrón de osificación del centro vertebral es independiente al de los arcos neurales.…”