Measurement of Spinal Canal and Sagittal Balance of the Pelvis-Spine Complex in Normal Congolese Population

BackgroundThis study aimed to determine the measurement of spinal canal and spinopelvic parameters in Congolese population of Kinshasa. Materials and methods212 clinically asymptomatic were enrolled during 2014-2015; 138 subjects (65.1%) were male and 74 (34.9%) were female of matching age between 18 and 30 years.Radiological study consisted of simple anteroposterior and lateral radiographs as well as computed tomography of the lumbar spine.The following spinopelvic parameters were measured PI (Pelvic Incidence), Lumbar Lordosis (LL), Sacral Slope (SS) and Pelvic Tilt (PT).Measurements in axial scan included midline Anteroposterior Vertebral Body diameter (APVB), midline Anteroposterior Canal Diameter (APCD), midline Dural Sac Diameter (DSD), Dural sac Cross-sectional Area (DCA), Canal Cross-Sectional Area (CCA), Interarticular Distance (IAD), Interpedicular Distance (IPD), Foraminal Height (FH) and Lateral Recess (LR).The Lumbar Ratio (LR) was calculated by dividing APCD by APVB. ResultsThe mean ± SD of the measurements at the narrowest level except L5-S1 was: APCD = 15.12 ± 2.30 mm, IPD = 20.31± 3.50mm, LR = 5.35 ± 1.40 mm, IAD = 16.32 ± 2.22mm, DSD = 12.12 ± 2.11mm, FH = 18.50 ± 1.7mm, DCA = 169.27± 48.54mm2, CCA = 251.80± 36.10mm 2 and R = 0.54 ± 0.02.The mean ± SD spinal and pelvic parameters were: LL = 61.1 ± 9.7°, PI = 54.4 ± 7.8°, SS= 41.0 ± 8.4° PV= 13.2 ± 6.5°. ConclusionThe report is the first to present the normal radiological anatomy of different diameters of the lumbar spinal canal among adult Congolese population.These diameters are smaller than the measurement in Caucasian population.