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Morphometric Study of Cervical Intervertebral Disc
Authors: Kathole MA, Joshi RA, Jadhav SS, Herekar NG
Number of views: 508
CONTEXT- Any pathology in intervertebral discs may also affect the intervertebral foramen and spinal canal at that level.The height of intervertebral disc directly affects the size of the intervertebral foramen. So, normal dimensions of intervertebral discs are very important.
OBJECTIVE- The present study was carried out to determine the normal height of cervical intervertebral discs in Western Maharashtra Population. The study was carried out in 2011.
MATERIAL & METHOD- Normal lateral radiographs of cervical spine of three hundred adult subjects of known age and sex from Western Maharashtra were utilized. These radiographs were obtained from Radiology Department, P. V. P. Government Hospital, Sangli, Radiology Department, Government Medical College, Miraj and other colleges and private practitioners in the region of Western Maharashtra.
RESULT- The study showed that, the height of intervertebral discs goes on increasing from C2-C3 to C5-C6; thereafter it decreases from C5-C6 to C6-C7, in both sexes. Thus, the mean height of intervertebral disc at the level of C5-C6 was greater than the other interverbral discs of cervical spine, in both sexes. It also showed statistically significant difference in their mean values of males and females, indicating the sexual dimorphism as well as evidence of racial variation.
CONCLUSION- Careful study of this parameter can be used in radiological detection of clinical conditions like prolapsed intervertebral disc, etc. The value of mean heights of intervertebral disc less than lower limit of calculated range, suggests some pathology at that particular intervertebral disc level such as prolapsed intervertebral disc, etc. Such cases need further investigations and clinical evaluation. Thus, the normal dimensions of intervertebral discs of cervical spine, determined from present study, can be used as reference values for evaluating various clinical conditions in the cervical spine in Western Maharashtra population.