Spinal canal size changes

Introduction The change in the size of the spinal canal is mainly manifested by the narrowing and enlargement of the spinal canal. Spinal stenosis is generally divided into congenital (primary) and acquired (secondary). According to the location, it is divided into cervical spinal stenosis, lumbar spinal stenosis, and thoracic spinal stenosis. According to the anatomical part, it can be divided into central stenosis, lateral recess stenosis, and nerve root stenosis. Symptoms of spinal stenosis are a series of lumbar and leg pain caused by various forms of stenosis of the spinal canal, neural tube and intervertebral foramen, and changes in the volume of the spinal canal caused by soft tissue and the narrowing of the dural sac itself. Nervous system symptoms appear, called lumbar spinal stenosis.

Cause

Bone hyperplasia, spinal degeneration, ligament ossification, congenital dysplasia can cause bony spinal stenosis. Ligament hypertrophy, disc herniation, and arachnoid adhesions can cause fibrous spinal stenosis. Intraspinal tumors can compress and absorb adjacent spinal canal structures, causing the spinal canal to expand.

an examination

Related inspection

Bone and joint soft tissue CT examination spinal examination spine palpation bone and joint MRI examination

The size of the spinal canal varies from person to person and from age to age.

X-ray examination: The spinal canal is a longitudinal translucent area behind the vertebral body.

Sagittal diameter of the spinal canal: The size of the sagittal diameter can reflect the degree of developmental stenosis of the spinal canal. When measuring, the posterior border of the spinal canal is firstly found. The lateral position of the lumbar vertebrae overlaps with the transverse process and often shows unclear. The measurement method is as follows: L1-3 is the line connecting the superior and inferior joints, L4 is 1 mm backward for this connection, and L5 is the oblique edge of the spinous process and 1 mm forward. The length of the line connecting the midpoint of the posterior margin of the vertebral body is sagittal. Normally, the sagittal diameter is greater than 17mlm, and the spinal stenosis is often less than 15mm. Therefore, it can be considered that the sagittal diameter is less than 15mm, and the smaller one is less than 17mm. Smaller and narrower spinal canal is prone to spinal stenosis due to degeneration and hyperplasia. CT scan measures the size of the bony spinal canal, which is convenient and accurate. CT scans can be performed when skeletal spinal stenosis is suspected.

Differential diagnosis

Differential diagnosis of spinal canal size changes:

1, changes in intervertebral space: changes in intervertebral space manifested as abnormal widening, stenosis or disappearance of the intervertebral space.

2, spina bifida: spina bifida is due to congenital spinal canal regurgitation, the formation of a rupture in the dorsal or ventral side of the spine, with or without the deformity of the meninges and nerve components. Clinically, such malformations are very common, accounting for 5% to 29% of the census population. Among them, the first and second atlas and the fifth lumbar vertebrae. The main reason for this is the developmental disorder of the cartilage center or the osteogenesis center in the embryonic stage, so that the bilateral vertebral arches do not fuse at the back to form a wide and narrow fissure. Simple bony fractures are called recessive spina bifida, the most common; if accompanied by meningocele or spinal cord bulging, it is dominant spina bifida, accounting for 1 2 , the latter is quite difficult to treat, and Mostly in the category of neurosurgery.

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