title: A PET/CT-based Morphometric Study of Spinal Canal in Korean Young Adults: Anteroposterior Diameter from Cervical Vertebra to Sacrum.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To establish normative data for spinal canal AP diameter from cervical vertebra to sacrum in the Korean young and to assess the exposed spinal canal after laminectomy which was related with restenosis by post-laminectomy membrane formation.
  
  
  METHODS
  From PET/CT, axial bone-window CT of 83 young adults (20-29 years) were obtained, and we measured AP diameters of C3, C5, C7, T1, T4, T8, T12, L1, L3, L5 and S1. We also measured exposed AP diameter of C3, C5, C7, T1 and T2 above imaginary line for laminectomy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The shortest mean AP diameter was at C5 (14.5±1.5 mm), and the longest was at S1 (17.4±2.3 mm). AP diameter increased from C3 (14.6±1.1 mm) to T1 (16.1±1.2 mm) at cervical spine. In the thoracic spine, the diameter gradually decreased from T1 (16.1±1.2 mm) to T8 (14.6±1.3 mm) and increased to T12 (16.7±1.2 mm). The diameter decreased from L1 (16.7±1.3 mm) to L3 (15.7±1.9 mm), and it increased to S1 (17.4±2.3 mm) at lumbar spine. Exposed AP diameter above imaginary line for laminectomy was the longest at C3 (4.8±1.2 mm) and gradually decreased to T1 (3.3±0.9 mm) and T2 (0 mm).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Spinal AP diameter was the shortest in the mid-cervical area (C5) and increased to the upper thoracic area. From the upper thoracic vertebra, the diameter gradually decreased to the mid-thoracic vertebra (T8) and then increased to the lower thoracic vertebra. Lumbar vertebra also was similar with thoracic vertebra. Below T2, there was no exposed dural sac after laminectomy. This means that restenosis by post-laminectomy membrane formation can occur above T1.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Spine and Spinal Cord Institute, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Moo Sung
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Spine and Spinal Cord Institute, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Jeong Yoon
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Spine and Spinal Cord Institute, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Dong Kyu
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Chin
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Spine and Spinal Cord Institute, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Kyung Hyun
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Spine and Spinal Cord Institute, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Sung Uk
authors.initials: SU
authors.lastname: Kuh
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Spine and Spinal Cord Institute, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Keun Su
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, Spine and Spinal Cord Institute, Gangnam Severance Hospital, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Yong Eun
authors.initials: YE
authors.lastname: Cho
keywords: Cervical vertebrae; Lumbar vertebrae; Spinal canal; Thoracic vertebrae