Morphometric analysis of the roots and neural foramina of the lumbar vertebrae
Six pages on PainSci cite Torun 2006: 1. The Complete Guide to Trigger Points & Myofascial Pain 2. How to Treat Sciatic Nerve Pain 3. The Complete Guide to Low Back Pain 4. The Complete Guide to Neck Pain & Cricks 5. Neuropathies Are Overdiagnosed 6. Nerve root wiggle room
PainSci commentary on Torun 2006: ?This page is one of thousands in the PainScience.com bibliography. It is not a general article: it is focused on a single scientific paper, and it may provide only just enough context for the summary to make sense. Links to other papers and more general information are provided wherever possible.
The holes between the vertebrae that the nerve roots pass through can be more than a couple centimetres wide, while the nerve roots themselves are only about 3-4mm thick.
original abstract †Abstracts here may not perfectly match originals, for a variety of technical and practical reasons. Some abstacts are truncated for my purposes here, if they are particularly long-winded and unhelpful. I occasionally add clarifying notes. And I make some minor corrections.
BACKGROUND: There have been few anatomic studies on the foramina and roots of the lumbar region, and those available in human specimens are usually based on computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging methods.
METHODS: Using the recent breakthroughs in microscopic anatomic dissections, the roots and vertebral foramina of the lumbar region were examined in 15 cadavers. Morphometric analysis of the roots and vertebral foramina of 80 lumbar vertebral objects was conducted.
RESULTS: The transverse and sagittal diameters of the lumbar intervertebral foramina were measured at each vertebral level. The median diameter of the lumbar neural foramina was 8.8 +/- 1.7 mm for the transverse and 19.4 +/- 2.7 mm for the sagittal planes. The widest median diameter of roots was 3.9 mm in the L4 root, and the narrowest was 3.3 mm in the L1 root.
CONCLUSION: Quantitative measurements of the diameters of the neural foramina and roots of the lumbar region in anatomic dissection models may provide a deeper understanding about the pathologies of this region and influence the success of surgical interventions.
related content
- “The influence of cervical traction, compression, and spurling test on cervical intervertebral foramen size,” Takasaki et al, Spine (Phila Pa 1976), 2009.
- “Computed tomographic evaluation of lumbar spinal structures during traction,” Sari et al, Physiother Theory Pract, 2005.
This page is part of the PainScience BIBLIOGRAPHY, which contains plain language summaries of thousands of scientific papers & others sources. It’s like a highly specialized blog. A few highlights:
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