title: [Study on the measurement and locating of Baliao points (eight sacral foramina)].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To seek the problems of position, measuring and locating methods of Baliao points (posterior sacral foramina) in modern researches.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using Baliao (eight sacral foramina), Shangliao(BL 31), Ciliao(BL 32), Zhongliao(BL 33), Xialiao(BL 34), Dihoukong (posterior sacral foramina), Dikong (sacral foramina) and Digu(sacrum) as the key words, literature in the database of the CNKI from 1957 to 2012 were re trieved and analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Problems were found in the past researches including limited numbers of relative literature, disunity of the measurement targets, complicated terms of indices, disunity of the starting and ending point of measurement, unclear weight of indices, deviation of results, lacking of combination with clinical practice and variety of locating methods.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Position of Baliao points (eight sacral foramina) are clear. However, the locating methods are blurred and vary a lot. Study on living body has more significance for measurement and researches. Factors of gender, body weight, height and childbearing should also be taken into consideration. Therefore, it is necessary to find a more accurate and easier way of locating.
authors.affiliation: Pelvic Cavity Center, Department of Anorectal, Nanjing City Hospital of TCM, Nanjing 210001, Jiangsu Province, China.
authors.forename: Hui-Fen
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.forename: Shu-Qing
authors.initials: SQ
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.forename: Yi-Jiang
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Ding
authors.forename: Ling-Ling
authors.initials: LL
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Jing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Min
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Jian-Bao
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Cao
authors.forename: Xu
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D015669:Acupuncture Points; D015670:Acupuncture Therapy; D006801:Humans; D012447:Sacrum / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed