title: EVALUATING CHAMBERLAIN'S, McGREGOR'S, AND McRAE'S SKULL-BASE LINES USING MULTI DETECTOR COMPUTERISED TOMOGRAPHY.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Traditionally the cranio-cervical junction is assessed by lateral cervical spine and base of skull radiographs which however have diagnostic challenges due to the complexity of the anatomy. Modern day Computed Tomography (CT) offers excellent bony detail and its ability to reconstruct the acquired CT data into various imaging planes makes the assessment of the cranio-cervical junction easy and more accurate.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the relationship of the odontoid peg of C2 to the standard skull base lines of Chamberlain's, McGregor's and McRae's on computed tomography.
  
  
  METHODS
  Descriptive cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Kenyatta National Hospital, Nairobi, between April and September 2010.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean position of the odontoid process was 2.6 mm below Chamberlain's line (median 2.7 mm, SD 2.2 mm), 1.0mm (median 0.9 mm, SD 2.1 mm) below McGregor's line and 4.7 mm (median 4.6 mm, SD 1.3 mm) below McRae's line. There was no statistically significant difference in measurements between male and female patients, the different age groups and between CT and standard plain radiograph measurements (p > 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Anthropometric measurements obtained using CT were lower than those from plain radiographs. There was howeverno statistical significant difference between the two imaging modalities. CT demonstrated far much superior anatomical detail compared to plain radiographs.
authors: Department of Diagnostic Imaging and Radiation Medicine, College of Health Sciences, University of Nairobi, Kenya.
authors: S S
authors: SS
authors: Mzumara
authors: N M
authors: NM
authors: Kimani
authors: C K
authors: CK
authors: Onyambu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000886:Anthropometry / Q000379:methods; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006259:Craniocerebral Trauma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007090:Image Interpretation, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D007630:Kenya; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009809:Odontoid Process / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012016:Reference Values; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D019291:Skull Base / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed