ABSTRACT
An analysis of the lengths of spinal cords was conducted using data from 129 adult Thais, 73 males and 56 females, who ranged in age from 20 to 95 years with an average age of 66.6 +/- 16.6 years. The lengths of spinal cords ranged from 30 to 49 cm with a mean of 40.8 +/- 3.2 cm. The average cord length in males (42.3 +/- 2.5 cm) was significantly greater than that in females (38.9 +/- 3.1 cm; p < 0.05). The site of caudal termination of the spinal cord varied from the middle third of the twelfth thoracic vertebra to the upper third of the third lumbar vertebra. The mean level of cord termination was located opposite the intervertebral disc between the first and the second lumbar vertebrae, and there was no significant difference between the sexes (p > 0.05). The length of the vertebral column was also measured in 16 cases. It ranged from 64.5 to 70.5 cm with an average of 68.4 +/- 3.5 cm. There was a significant correlation between the length of the spinal cord and the length of the vertebral column (p < 0.01).
