Lumbar Disc Measurements in Egyptians

Abstract

Background:  lumbar disc pathology is a common issue. The vertebral bodies are joined together with secondary cartilaginous joints developed for weight-bearing and stress movements. Intervertebral disc degeneration is an aging process affecting large portion of the adult population. Because it is sometimes asymptomatic, it is so difficult to study its epidemiology, so magnetic resonanceimaging (MRI) is the initial imaging technique used for the evaluation of most spinal disorders including degenerative disc diseases.

Objectives: The aim is to study normal variations in dimensions oflumbar intervertebral discs at L3-L4, L4- L5&L5-S1 levels in relation to age and sex to give basis for Egyptian measurements.

Patients and methods: The total number of the studied individuals was120 healthy individuals of both sexes with normal MRI, including 57 males and63 females aged from 18 years to 48 years. High field (1.5) Tesla magnetic resonance imaging system Philips (Achieva class II USA) was used to get magnetic resonance images of this work at radiology units of Zagazig University Hospitals., in the period from April, 2017 to December, 2019. Cases of the study were divided into two age groupsGroup (A):include 90 persons whom ages ranged between18-40 years old.Group (B):include 30 persons whom ages ranged from above 40to 48 years old.

Results:Disc measurements showed different relation to sex according to the level and some of thesemeasurements increased with age especially al L3-L4 and L4-L5 levels but not at L5-S1 level.

Conclusion:Determining the dimensions of lumbar intervertebral discs for establishment of Egyptian measurements using MRIis of agreat value with the intervertebral inter-body fusion and artificial disc replacement.