Three dimensional digital study and clinical significance of thoracic joint angle in children aged from 10 to 12 years / 局解手术学杂志

Objective To explore the morphological characteristics and change rule of thoracic joint angles in children aged from 10 to 12 years through thinner CT scanning and 3D reconstruction,and to provide theoretical basis for early diagnosis,treatment and prevention.Methods Totally 30 normal cases aged from 10 to 12 years were admitted into this study.There was no bone destruction,deformity,fractures,tumors and spine surgery involved.DICOM 3.0 data of multi-slice spiral CT (0.625 ～ 1.25 mm),ranging from T1 to T12,were used for 3D reconstruction,measurement and statistical analysis.Results The difference between left and right sagittal section angle of zygopophysis was less than 10°.There was no significant differences between T1,T11,and T12for sagittal section angle of upper zygopophysis (P ＞ 0.05).So was it between T3,T4,T9,T10 and T11 for sagittal section angle of lower zygopophysis (P ＞ 0.05).While there were significant differences between others(P ＜ 0.05).The was no significant difference between left and right coronal plane angle of zygopophysis (P ＞ 0.05).Coronal plane angle of lower and upper zygopophysis tended to be ‘ spike-like’,and the maximum points were at T7 to T9.For horizontal plane angle,left and right upper zygopophysis made significant differences between T2,T4,T8,T10 and T12 only,so did T7 lower zygopophysis (P ＜ 0.05).Horizontal angle of upper zygopophysis tended to be stable in the upper thoracic both in the left and right side,while a decreasing trend was shown in lower thoracic.Horizontal angle of lower zygopophysis showed a decreasing trend generally except individual vertebrae.Both upper and lower zygopophysis showed negative angle at T11 and T12 levels.Conclusion Thoracic joint angles(coronal,sagittal and horizontal angle) in children aged from 10 to 12 years can directly reflect the developmental regularity with growth,and it verified the tendency that horizontal facet joints of the cervical spine gradually changes to coronal facet joints thoracic spine and then changes to sagittal facet joints of lumbar spine.And the left and right side facet joints are basically symmetrical with the angle difference less than 10°.

The Pathologic Anatomy of Degenerative Spondylolisthesis / 대한정형외과학회잡지

Degenerative spondylolisthesis, which occurs frequently in middle-aged women, is a disease that causes canal stenosis of the lumbar spine and low back pain. Although the clinical features have been described characteristically, its pathogenic mechanism and therapeutic principles are still to be clarified. Some investigators have claimed that the disease originates from morphologic abnormalities of laminae and facet joints or that it is primarily due to degeneration of the intervertebral disks and degenerative changes of the facet joints. We selected two groups of patients retrospectively. The one was a group of patient who had normal findings on their magnetic resonance imaging(Group I ) and the other was a group of patients who showed degenerative spondylolisthesis at L4-5 and had been managed surgically(Group II ). We measured the total lordosis from Ll to S 1 and segmental lordosis of L3-4, L4-5 and LS-S 1 in both groups by Cobbs method. In group 3, we measured the degree of slippage of the L4 vertebral body and investigated the associated congenital anomalies of the lumbosacral vertebra on simple anteroposterior and lateral radiographs in both groups. And we measured the facet joint angles of the L3-4, L4-5 and L5-Sl at both side on MRI. Then we analysed the results statistically and got the following conclusions. 1. In Group I, total lordosis decreased significantly. The segmental lordosis of L4-5 and LS-S1 decreased, too, but the segmental lordosis of L3-4 increased. 2. The facet joint angles of L4-5 in Group I increased significantly in both sides. 3. The intercrestal line was lower in Group I than in Group II. 4. The degree of slip was not related with the facet joint angles of L4-5.

Facet Joint Angle in Lumbar Spine: comparative study between HNP and spinal stenosis and control group / 대한정형외과학회잡지

The importance of facet joint asymmetry has been debated as a cause of the low back pain and sciatica. And many studies have been proposed about the relationship between facet joint angle or facet joint asymmetry and the development of the disc degeneration or disc herniation. In the diagnosis of the spinal disorder, we have been used mainly myelogram and computed tomography. Several years ago, more advancement has been achieved by use of magnetic resonance image (MRI). Author studied the relationship between the facet joint angle and facet joint asymmetry and the development of the herniated nucleus pulposis (HNP) or spinal stenosis by comparision of the facet joint angle and facet joint asymmetry in each groups. Author reviewed the patients who were diagnosed as HNP or spinal stenosis with computerized tomography (CT) or MRI and treated with operative method at the department of orthopaedic surgery, Dong-A University Hospital. Facet joint angles were measured on the mid-disc cut, which was parallel to the inferior vertebral end-plate of the superior vertebra. The angles were measured by a midsagittal line through the disc and intersecting lines formed by conneqting the two end points of each facet. Facet joint asymmetry was determined by the difference between right and left facet joint angles. The results were compared between each groups and comparison group and statistical analysis was performed with the Kruskal- Wallis test in 95% confidence interval. The patients had only one level involved and had no other spinal disorder. 85 cases of HNP (central in 35 cases and lateral in 50 cases) and 50 cases of spinal stenosis were evaluated. The results were as follows: l. At the level of L4-5, the mean facet joint angles (+/-SD) were 42.50+/-5.52 (Rt.), 46.71+/-9.68 (Lt.) in central HNP, 40.91+/-9.11 (Rt.), 41.23+/-8.51 (Lt.) in lateral HNP, 37.77+/-11.41 (Rt.), 37.95+/-11.91 (Lt.) in spinal stenosis and 42.38+/-5.07 (Rt.), 41.25+/-5.85 (Lt.) in control group. 2. At the level of LS-S1, the mean facet joint angles were 48.83+/-5.64 (Rt.), 48.17+/-4.62 (Lt.) in central HNP, 52.20+/-11.30 (Rt.), 51.60+/-9.06 (Lt.) in lateral HNP, 42.67+/-8.89 (Rt.), 43.50+/- 9.85 (Lt.) in spinal stenosis and 43.91+/-7.88 (Rt.), 43.76+/-7.81 (Lt.) in control group. 3. At the level of L4-5, the mean facet asymmery was 6.35+/-6.04 in central HNP, 6.95+/-6.76 in lateral HNP, 6.47+/-5.56 in spinal stenosis and 4.31+/-5.42 in control group. 4. At the level of L5-S1, the mean facet asymmetry was 4.95+/-5.18 in central HNP, 4.72+/-5.25 in lateral HNP, 5.50+/-4.83 in spinal stenosis and 4.42+/-4.96 in control group. In conclusion, there were no statistically significant relationships between the magnitude of the facet joint angle and development of the HNP and spinal stenosis, and between the facet asymmetry and development of the HNP and stenosis.