COMPUTED TOMOGRAPHIC OSTEOMETRY OF ASIAN LUMBAR PEDICLES

Study Design. The lumbar pedicles of 100 adult Chinese patients were s tudied with computed tomography to provide data on their dimensions an d angular alignment. Date obtained were compared with published measur ements of spines from white patients to determine similarities and dif ferences between the lumbar spines. Summary of Background Data. The ag e range of the patients was 18 to 60 years. There were 63 men and 37 w omen. There was no demonstrable sex difference for dimensions or angul ar alignment of the pedicles. Methods. The method of scanning and meas urement was standardized. Levels considered abnormal by the radiologis t were excluded from the study, and a single observer was used to avoi d inter-observer errors. The data obtained were statistically analyzed using Student's t test to determine differences between men and women and left and right sides. Age differences were analyzed using the F s tatistic test The pedicle inclination angle (transverse angle) and the pedicle dimensions were compared with published data of whites. Resul ts. The pedicles of Asians, when compared with those of whites, showed a similar pattern of changes with vertebral level. However, Asian ped icles had a larger pedicle inclination angle (transverse angle) from L 1 to L4 (L1 = 16-degrees, L2 = 16-degrees, L3 = 19-degrees, L4 = 23-de grees), whereas L5 (29-degrees) was similar to many series of whites. Conclusions. There are differences between the lumbar pedicles of Asia ns and whites. Such differences need to be considered when posterior p edicle screw fixation of the spine is performed.