Assessment of the Original Height of L1~2 after Vertebral Compression Fracture / 法医学杂志

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVES@#To explore the assessment method of original height of L1-2 after vertebral compression fracture and its application value in forensic clinical practice.@*METHODS@#A total of 154 normal thoracic and lumbar X-ray films were collected, and 140 cases were used as experimental group while 14 cases as validation group. The heights of anterior （Ha） and posterior （Hp） vertebral body of T₁₂-L₃ vertebrae in each X-ray image were measured. In the experimental group, the correlation analysis between HaL₁ and HaT₁₂, HpT₁₂, HpL₁, HaL₂ and HpL₂ was carried out, and regression equation was established via fitting. The correlation analysis between HaL₂ and HaL₁, HpL₁, HpL₂, HaL₃, HpL₃ was performed, and the regression equation was also established via fitting. The difference between the predicted and measured values of HaL₁ and HaL₂ in validation group was compared.@*RESULTS@#In the 140 normal subjects, HaL₁ （y₁） was well correlated with HaT₁₂ （x₁） and HaL₂（x₂）, and the multiple linear regression equation was y₁=2.545+0.423 x₁+0.486 x₂ （determining coefficient R²=0.712, P<0.05; F=169.206, P<0.05）. There was no significant difference between the predicted and actual measured values of HaL₁ in the validation group （ P>0.05）. HaL₂ （y₂） was well correlated with HaL₁ （x₃） and HaL₃ （x₄）, and the multiple linear regression equation was y₂=4.354+0.530 x₃+0.349 x₄ （determining coefficient R²=0.689, P<0.05; F=151.575, P<0.05）. There was no significant difference between the predicted and actual measured values of HaL₂ in the validation group （ P>0.05）.@*CONCLUSIONS@#It is more appropriate to evaluate the original height of L₁ or L₂ single vertebrae by comparing with the height of the anterior edge of the upper and lower adjacent vertebral bodies.