title: Evaluation of the prevertebral soft tissue thickness by magnetic resonance imaging in patients with mild neck problem.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We encountered no study conducted on the evaluation of prevertebral soft tissue (PVST) thickness by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) during our literature search. Measuring PVST thickness by MRI in the cervical region of adult cases was aimed in the present retrospective study.
  
  
  METHODS
  For the intended purpose, a total of 136 patients, composed of both males and females, with ages ranging from 20 to 69 years, in whom no pathology in the cervical prevertebral region was revealed by MRI modality implemented for various reasons, were included in the study.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The upper limit of normal for PVST thickness was measured in our study to be 10 mm, 7 mm and 20 mm at C1, C2-C3 and C6-C7 vertebral levels, respectively. The least variation in the measurements and standard deviations were obtained at C3-C4 vertebral levels. Upon making a comparison between the measured PVST thicknesses on the basis of gender, the measurements at C2,C4 and C7 were found to display significant difference, whereas that was not the case for the measurements obtained at the other levels.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Progressively widespread use of MRI for the traumas inflicting the cervical region makes it obligatory to specify normal values for the thickness of PVST measured by MRI.
authors: Cumhuriyet University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Radiology, Sivas, Turkey.
authors: Ibrahim
authors: I
authors: Ozturk
authors: Sema
authors: S
authors: Bulut
authors: Mehmet H
authors: MH
authors: Atalar
authors: Ismail
authors: I
authors: Salk
authors: Unal
authors: U
authors: Ozum
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019547:Neck Pain / Q000473:pathology*; D012016:Reference Values; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D055815:Young Adult