Computed Tomography Guided Morphometric Analysis Of Lumbar Pedicles In South Indian Population

Abstract

Traditional method of morphometric analysis involved direct newlinemeasurement and analysis of the lumbar pedicles using Vernier newlinecaliper from cadavers. 2 However recent advances in sciences like newlineCT has proven to be a valuable tool in this process as CT newlinemeasurements of the spinal morphological characters have proven to newlinebe as accurate as direct measurements of the spinal parameters as newlinegiven by ZINDRICK, MICHAEL R et al. 3 newlineThere are several studies newlinewhich have analysed the morphometric characteristics of various newlinepopulations of the world like Chinese, Japanese, Mexican, Korean newlineetc using CT scan. 4 ,5 ,6 newlineTranspedicular screw placement in the vertebra during newlineposterior operations to stabilize the spine is currently the most newlinewidely used and successful technique to treat pathological changes newlineof the spine caused by trauma, tumor, scoliosis, or degenerative newlinediseases. 7 -1 0 But correctly placing the pedicle screw in this newlineoperative technique can sometimes be challenging for the surgeon, newlinedue to variation in pedicle size and thickness at the various spinal newlineI N T R O D U C T I O N newline newlinelevels and also due to the proximity to the nerve roots. 1 1 ,1 2 newlineMisplacement of the pedicle screws can cause damage to the dur al newlinesac or the exiting nerve roots if the pedicle wall is broken newlinemediocaudally. 1 3 -1 5 Among the imaging techniques, there is the newlinecontrolled insertion of the pedicle screw during fluoroscopy or the newlineuse of computer tomography (CT) or other computer-supported newlinenavigation procedures. 1 6 -1 8 newlineSo far such a study has only been done in Telengana and newlineKarnataka among South Indian population. Spinal pedicle newlinemorphological characters of Indian population might be different newlinecompared to other populations for which such stud ies are newlineavailable. 1 9 ,2 0 Hence morphometric analysis of the Lumbar pedicles newlinein South Indian population will be helpful for determining the newlineproper spinal pedicle screw in future surgeries