[The research of bone morphogenetic protein expression, CT value and mature degree of ossification in the thoracic ossification of ligamentum flavum].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the correlation of pathology, bone morphogentic protein (BMP) expression, CT value with the ossification of thoracic ligamentum flavum (TOLF) to afford the evidence to choose appropriate treatment methods.


METHODS
Twenty-three patients aged 35 - 65 years old had TOLF in my hospital as case. Their courses of disease were 2 months to 9 years. The values of blood calcium, blood phosphorus and AKP in them were normal. The 5 peoples aged 21 - 35 years old who presented fracture of thoracic but not the ligamentum flavum ossification were selected as control. We excluded those who have DISH, ankylosing spondylitis, fluorosis and other disease related with TOLF. The lesion locus were scanned and mensurated by CT. The pathology characteristics were classified into immature ossification and mature ossification by general observation, histology examination. BMP were measured by the immunohistochemical (IHC) staining techniques.


RESULTS
The CT value was significantly higher in the case group (547.2 +/- 131.4) than controlled group (137.7 +/- 10.6) (t = 6.922, P = 0.000). Further, the CT value in the mature ossification (702.9 +/- 17.7) was significantly higher than the immature (480.5 +/- 180.2) (t = 5.623, P = 0.000). In addition, BMP both expressed negative in the mature ossification and the controlled group, but positive in the immature ossification. BMP expression was significantly different between the immature ossification and the mature (chi2 = 70.000, P = 0.000).


CONCLUSIONS
The CT values, pathological types and BMP expression results are similar to evaluate the ossification degrees of ligamentum flavum, and then could be indirectly judged the maturation degrees of TOLF by CT to confirm the treatment methods before operation.
Yuan
Hai-feng
HF
Department of Orthopedics, the Affiliated Hospital of Ningxia Medical College, Yinchuan 750004, China. yuanzi000@126.com
Wang
Zi-li
ZL
Qiao
Yong-dong
YD
Ding
Hui-qiang
HQ
Zhao
Hao-ning
HN
D000328:Adult; D019485:Bone Morphogenetic Proteins / Q000378:metabolism*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D017843:Ligamentum Flavum / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009999:Ossification, Heterotopic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology*; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D055815:Young Adult
D019485:Bone Morphogenetic Proteins