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Measurement of volume-occupying rate of cervical spinal canal and its role in cervical spondylotic myelopathy

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Abstract

Purpose

To compare volume-occupying rate of cervical spinal canal between patients with cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) and normal subjects, and to investigate its significance in cervical spine disease.

Methods

Spiral computed tomography (CT) scan (C4–C6 cervical spine unit) was performed in 20 normal subjects and 36 cases of CSM at a neutral position, and data were transferred to the Advantage Workstation Version 4.2 for assessment. Bony canal area and fibrous canal area in each cross section, and sagittal diameters of cervical spinal canal and cervical spinal body were measured. Volume-occupying rate of cervical spinal canal was calculated using MATLAB. Cervical spinal canal ratio and effective cervical spinal canal ratio were calculated, and Japanese Orthopaedic Association score was used to assess cervical spinal cord function.

Results

Volume-occupying rate of cervical spinal canal at a neutral position was significantly higher in CSM patients as compared to normal subjects (P < 0.01). There was no correlation between cervical spinal canal ratio and JOA score in CSM patients, with a Pearson’s correlation coefficient of 0.171 (P > 0.05). However, sagittal diameter of secondary cervical spinal canal, effective cervical spinal canal ratio and volume-occupying rate of cervical spinal canal were significantly associated to JOA score, with Pearson’s coefficient correlations of 0.439 (P < 0.05), 0.491 (P < 0.05) and −0.613 (P < 0.01), respectively.

Conclusions

Volume-occupying rate of cervical spinal canal is an objective reflection of compression on cervical spine and spinal cord, and it is associated with cervical spinal cord function. These suggest that it may play a significant role in predicting the development of CSM.

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Conflict of interest

There is no actual or potential conflict of interest in relation to this article.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Orthopedics Department, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022, China

    Fulong Dong, Cailiang Shen, Shu Jiang, Renjie Zhang & Peiwen Song

  2. Radiology Department, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, 230022, China

    Yongqiang Yu, Shiyu Wang & Xiaohu Li

  3. Mechanics and Mechanical Engineering Department, Biological Mechanics Laboratory, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, 230026, China

    Gang Zhao

  4. Menzies Research Institute Tasmania, University of Tasmania, Hobart, TAS, Australia

    Changhai Ding

Authors
  1. Fulong Dong
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  2. Cailiang Shen
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  3. Shu Jiang
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  4. Renjie Zhang
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  5. Peiwen Song
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  8. Xiaohu Li
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  9. Gang Zhao
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  10. Changhai Ding
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Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Cailiang Shen or Yongqiang Yu.

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Dong, F., Shen, C., Jiang, S. et al. Measurement of volume-occupying rate of cervical spinal canal and its role in cervical spondylotic myelopathy. Eur Spine J 22, 1152–1157 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00586-012-2622-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00586-012-2622-3

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