Morphometric measurements in thoracal vertebral fractures

Abstract

In this study, we aimed to compare the pedicle morphometric measurements of patients with thoracic vertebral fractures, who were admitted to the emergency department after trauma, and normal population, with the help of tomography. 252 patients with thoracic vertebral fracture between January 2017 and December 2019 were included in the study. The patients were divided into two as operated (Group 1, n: 169) and non-operated (Group 2, n: 83) groups. Transverse and sagittal pedicle diameters of all patients' thoracic vertebrae were measured by computed tomography. These values were compared with the normal population. 252 patients (148 male) were included in the study. Most of the fractures were seen in the T12 vertebrae. The least affected vertebrae were T1 and T2. In males, the thinnest transverse pedicle diameter was measured at the T4 while the thickest transverse pedicle was measured at the T12 level. In females, the thinnest transverse pedicle was measured at the T6 level while the thickest transverse pedicle was measured at the T12 level. In men, the thinnest sagittal pedicle was measured at the T3 level while the thickest sagittal pedicle was measured at the T12 level. The thinnest sagittal pedicle diameter was measured at the T7 vertebra level while the thickest sagittal pedicle was measured at the T12 level. Transverse and sagittal pedicle measurements were found to be higher in males than in females at almost all thoracic vertebra levels. Transverse and sagittal pedicle diameters of patients with thoracic vertebral fracture were significantly lesser than normal population. Pedicle diameter reveals significant individual and segmental differences in the thoracic region. Patients with similar traumas, who also have a pedicle diameter below the mean value, are more likely to develop fractures.