ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The artificial disc requires a height, a width, and a shape as much as possible to be similar to the original intervertebral disc in order to perfectly distribute the load. At present, most of the data are from foreign countries or measured using X-ray and magnetic resonance imaging, but there are some shortcomings. OBJECTIVE: To diagnose the spinal disease and provide data for the design of a native lumbar disc device by measuring the normal lumbar intervertebral disc using computer tomography (CT). METHODS: A total of 2 235 patients who underwent lumbar CT examination in Liuzhou Worker's Hospital from January 2012 to May 2017 were collected and analyzed. There were 62 cases, including 45 males and 17 females, after being strictly met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. From the age of 20, they were divided into four groups: 20-30, 31-40, 41-50 and more than 50 years old. The range was from L1to S1. The measurement index include intervertebral disc anteroposterior diameter, transerverse diameter, disc volume, sagittal anterior, middle and posterior height, coronal left and right height, and interverterbral angle. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: (1) In terms of age, there was a statistically significant difference in measurement indexes between L1/2, L2/3 and L3/4(P < 0.05). Therefore, the factor of age should be taken into account. However, there was no statistically significant difference between L4/5and L5/S1segments (P > 0.05). (2) There was a statistical difference between the anterior and middle height of the sagittal position in L4/5and L5/S1(P < 0.05). (3) There were statistical differences between the angles of L2/3, L3/4, L4/5, L5/S1intervertebral space (P <0.05), but the difference of angle between L4/5and L5/S1was the most. (4) There was no statistical difference in the height between the left and right sides of the coronal position (P > 0.05). (5) There was statistical difference between the anteroposterior and transverse diameters of the disc on the adjacent cross section (P < 0.05). (6) The results showed that the lower the segment, the smaller the statistical difference between each group. It is indicated that the age difference should be considered on the L1/2, L2/3, and L3/4segments in the design of lumbar disc or interbody fusion. The lumbar artificial intervertebral disc can be placed in the middle or side. The artificial disc should be designed into the wedge shape instead of a rectangle. These will provide a good anatomical basis for the design of domestic lumbar artificial intervertebral discs.