Morphometric study of the lumbar vertebral canal in the normal adult Pakistanis

ABSTRACT

1. To determine the normal values of the midsagittal diameters of the canal and body of lumbar vertebrae in Pakistanis. 2. To find out the relationship between the midsagittal diameters of the vertebral canal and the vertebral body at all lumbar levels. 3. To determine the anteroposterior diameter of inferior vertebral notch and to find out its ratio with the vertebral body. STUDY DESIGN: the anatomic dimensions of the vertebral body and spinal canal of the lumbar vertebral were analysed in Pakistanis. SETTING: Department of Anatomy Nishtar Medical College, Multan. PERIOD June 1993 to December 1996. MATERIALS AND METHODS:one thousand five hundred measurements were performed on the midsagittal diameters of vertebral bodies, spinal canals and anteroposterior diameters of inferior vertebrae notches using complete sets of 75 lumbar vertebral. The mean midsagittal diameters of the lumber spinal canal in the Pakistani Population was less than that of South African and Nigerian population while the anteroposterior diameter of inferior vertebral notch was slightly greater then that of Nigerians. the midsagittal diameter of the lumbar spinal canal is narrowest in the East Asian population; the radiologic criteria of spinal stenosis should be reconsidered for these people