The Role of B-mode Ultrasonography in the Anatomical Evaluation of the Cervical Region of the Spine in Adolescents

Abstract

Objective: Ultrasonographic evaluation of the anatomy of the intervertebral discs, vertebral canal of the cervical spine in practically healthy adolescents. Materials and methods:The study included 72 healthy children with normal neurologic status, 35 of them aged 13-15 years, 37-16-18 years old. Ultrasonography (USG) was performed at the level of disks C 2 -C 3 , C 3 -C 4 , C 4 -C 5 , C 5 -C 6 , C 6 -C 7 , C 7 -Тh 1 in longitudinal and transverse projections. In the longitudinal projection, the height of the intervertebral discs (IVD) and vertebral bodies (V), their ratio (IVD/V), and in the transverse projection -the sagittal size of the IVD, the spinal canal (SC), their sagittal size ratio IVD/SC, the width of spinal nerve canals (NC), the yellow ligament thickness, the sagittal size of the anterior dural space (ADS), their ratio of the ADS and SC (ADS/ SC). In addition to the quantitative parameters of the IVD and SC, the echo structure of the nucleus pulpous (NP) and fibrous ring (FR) was also studied. Results:The highest sagittal size IVD and SC in the age groups 13-15 (15.6 ± 0.8 mm and 16.4 ± 0.9 mm) and 16-18 years (16.9 ± 0.7 mm and 17.3 ± 0.8 mm) was recorded at the level of C 2 -C 3 . Only in the age group 16-18 years were no significant differences (p<0.05) compared with the level of C 7 -Th 1 (17.3 ± 0.8 mm in front of 15.2 ± 0.7 mm). In both age groups, the height of the IVD was also the highest at C 2 -C 3 (4.2 ± 0.23 mm and 4.5 ± 0.37 mm), but no significant differences compared with the levels of C 2 -C 3 and C 7 -Th 1 has not been revealed. SC area was calculated from the linear dimensions and on the perimeter. At the level of C 2 -C 3 in 13-15 years, these figures were 188 ± 11 mm 2 and 287 ± 14 mm 2 , aged 16-18 years -and 195 ± 12 mm 2 312 ± 14 mm 2 . At the level of C7-Th1 these figures were 152 ± 8 mm 2 (p<0.05), 158 ± 7 mm 2 (p<0.01), 236 ± 12 mm 2 (p<0.001), 248 ± 9 mm 2 (p<0.001).The thickness of the yellow ligament (YL (TAR-reject) increases from top to bottom, it was the highest level of C 6 -C 7 in the age group 16-18 years and was 2.8 ± 0.24 mm significantly (p<0.05) higher than at the level of C 2 C 3 (2.1 ± 0.15 mm).Sagittal size anterior dural space (ADS) in all children at all levels of IVD profit lower than the rear PDS index ADS/PDS was lowest at C 4 -C 5 and was 0.82 ± 0.03. Conclusion:In adolescents, the sagittal size of the intervertebral disc and spinal canal, the height of the IVD, the frontal size, the area of the SC, the width of the spinal nerve canals, the dural spaces have the largest value at the C 2 -C 3 level, the smallest at the C 6 -C 7 and C 7 -Th 1 levels. The smallest ratio of IVD/SC is observed at the level of C 2 -C 3 . The maximum thickness of the yellow ligament is recorded at the level of C 6 -C 7 , the smallest sagittal dimension of the anterior dural space is determined at the level of C 6 -C 7 and C 7 -Th 1 .

B-mode ultrasonography of herniated cervical discs in young people

“…These standards serve as a benchmark for ultrasound professionals seeking to comply with national protocols [9]. In previous studies, the results of ultrasound examination in assessing the state of the cervical and lumbar intervertebral discs in normal conditions and with unexpressed degenerative changes in adolescents were presented [10][11][12].…”