title: [Study on the overall anatomical features and clinical value of lumbar nerve root, plexus and branches in CT reconstruction].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To identify the overall anatomical characteristics and the clinical value of the lumbar nerves under CT multiplanar reconstruction.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty normal subjects and 30 patients with LN diseases (51 sides) were selected, including 10 patients with lumber intervertebral disk hernia, eight patients with spinal stenosis, 5 patients with spondylolisthesis, 1 patient with tethered cord syndrome, 1 patient with lumbar scoliosis, and 5 patients with spinal trauma The 16-slice helical CT (Light Speed, GE Company) was used for scanning the lumbar vertebra with multiplanar reconstruction in Workstation (ADW4.1) with UNIX System in DICOM format. The image was set on the same slice for the overall anatomy and manifestations of the lesions.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The same-slice imaging showed the strip-like LN slightly lower than the surrounding muscle in density. Each LN went out of the dural sac at an acute angle. The course of the lumbar plexus and its major branches, including the obturator nerve, femoral nerve and reproductive nerve, and their relations to the adjacent structures were clearly revealed. The percentage of the segments displayed was well associated with the reconstruction angle, with the order being oblique coronal > outward-rotated oblique coronal > oblique sagittal > coronal > sagittal section. The major manifestations of abnormal LN included compression and displacement (50 sides, 98.0%), morphological changes (49 sides, 96.1%), adhesion (41 sides, 80.4%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The CT multiplanar reconstruction is ideal for the imaging of the overall size, shape, running and tension of the LN root; it is valuable in clinical diagnosis.
authors: Department of Orthopaedics and Trauma, Peking University People's Hospital, Beijing 100044, China.
authors: Yan-Hua
authors: YH
authors: Wang
authors: Jing-Fu
authors: JF
authors: Lin
authors: Bao-Guo
authors: BG
authors: Jiang
authors: Zhong-Guo
authors: ZG
authors: Fu
authors: Yan-Ying
authors: YY
authors: Li
authors: Xiao-Juan
authors: XJ
authors: Li
authors: Shu-Ping
authors: SP
authors: Tian
authors: Yan-Qun
authors: YQ
authors: Zhang
authors: Hong-Bo
authors: HB
authors: Zhang
authors: Dian-Ying
authors: DY
authors: Zhang
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008160:Lumbosacral Plexus / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013126:Spinal Nerve Roots / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D036542:Tomography, Spiral Computed; D055815:Young Adult