Assessment of the atlanto-occipital junction in the MRI of subjects with cervical disc herniation

To demonstrate the normal limits of Powers ratio and basion dens interval in patients with disc herniations. The MRI of patients were retrospectively evaluated by 2 radiologists. Four hundred and forty-five patients who were admitted to Duzce University Hospital with neck pain without history of trauma were chosen between January 2004 and July 2006 in this retrospective study. The patients were between the ages of 14-80 years. Four group were identified according to the number of disc herniations The normal of Powers ratio and dens interval were 0.77 +/- 0.15 and 0.80 +/- 0.66 in group 0, 0.76 +/- 0.14 and 0.81 +/- 0.76 in group one, 0.75 +/- .013 and 0.80 +/- 0.71 in group 2, 0.76 +/- .014 and 0.81 +/- 0.74 in group 3, and 0.77 +/- 0.16 and 0.81 +/- 0.66 in group 4. The relationship between the number of disc herniations and Powers ratio and basion dens interval was not statistically significant. Our results were in concordance with the previous studies concerning the Powers ratio and basion dens interval. These 2 methods can be used in the MRI of atlantooccipital dislocation suspected patients with disc herniations

Sagittal alignment of the lumbar spine in a Turkish population

To understand the normal lumbar spine in the sagittal plane, and the range of lumbar lordosis. This study was carried out in the Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine, Duzce University, Duzce, Turkey in the year 2005. We retrospectively reviewed T1-weighed sagittal spin-echo MRIs of the lumbar spine in 413 individuals [188 male, 225 female] aged between 13-82 years, and evaluated the angle of lumbar lordosis [ALL], sacrohorizontal angle [SHA], and lumbosacral angle [LSA]. The ALL and SHA were significantly greater in females than in males [p<0.05]. Weak, but significant correlations were detected between age and ALL, SHA, and LSA for females [p<0.05]. The LSA was significantly greater for individuals over 41 years [p<0.05] when the entire study group was considered, and it was also significantly greater for individuals over 51 years in females [p<0.05]. The LSA was significantly greater in the 7th decade than in the 3rd decade [p<0.05]. The results of this study provide insight into the sagittal alignment of the lumbar region for a Turkish population, and can serve as a reference for further clinical studies to improve the planning of spinal surgery