Morphometric Study of The Lumbosacral Spine and Some of Its Related Angles in Lebanese Adult Females

Abstract

The present study was undertaken to examine medicolegal importance of morphometric characteristics of lumbar vertebrae, lumbar intervertebral discs and some important related angles in adult Lebanese females. The subjects of this study included thirty Lebanese adult females aged between 18-22 years. The subjects were selected among students of the faculty of health sciences, Beirut Arab University. Two plain radiographic views for the lumbosacral spine were taken for each subject (An anteroposterior view and a lateral view). Measurements were made direct from the X-ray films using Vernier calliper and were recorded to the nearest tenth of a millimetre. The following measurements were taken for each Lumbar vertebra: The anterior height of the body, posterior height of the body, horizontal diameter of the pedicle, vertical diameter of the pedicle, interpedicular distance and the width (transverse diameter) of the body. Regarding intervertebral discs, the anterior height, posterior height and anteroposterior diameter of the disc (disc depth) were measured. In addition, the following angles were measured: the angle of lumbar lordosis, lumbosacral angle and angle of sacral inclination. The mean and standard deviation of the above mentioned parameters were calculated and recorded. It is concluded that measurements obtained in this study form a base line figures in normal Lebanese adult females in terms of morphometric measurements in healthy subjects as well as giving guidance to clinicians as being applicable for evaluation and management of subjects complaining of low back pain; not only do these age related normative values help in identifying the underlying cause, but they also direct physicians towards the proper line of treatment. Whether specific preventive modalities or rehabilitation protocols could be instituted to prevent low back pain in subjects with particular spinal alignment remains unclear and should be investigated in future studies. Moreover, these normal figures could also be of forensic importance because of the racial, ethnic and regional variations which have been observed in comparison with previous studies.