Vertebral morphometry: normative data.
Morphometric measurements of the thoracic and lumbar vertebrae were carried out on spinal radiographs of 150 normal women. A normal range was established for each individual vertebra. There was no change in the anterior height of the thoracic or lumbar vertebrae with age but there was a small significant decrease in the posterior height of the lumbar vertebrae with age. This is unlike the pattern seen in osteoporotics in whom a decrease in anterior height of the vertebrae is the first clinical manifestation of spinal osteoporosis. At the present time diagnosis of an osteoporotic spinal fracture is usually based on a subjective decision. Normative data for the vertebral dimensions should help improve the accuracy of diagnosis.
Gallagher
J C
JC
Creighton University School of Medicine, Omaha, NE 68131.
Hedlund
L R
LR
Stoner
S
S
Meeger
C
C
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000375:Aging; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008875:Middle Aged; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011859:Radiography; D012016:Reference Values; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging