Abstract

Objective: To determine through CT scan, the biometrics of the spinal canal and lumbar dural sac of adults in Togo.

Material and method: Twelve month prospective study at Campus Teaching Hospital and Sylvanus Olympio Univesristy Hopsital Center, concerning people over 18 years of age who presented neither any clinical sign nor spinal defect. Distances measured were the antero posterior diameter (APD1) and inner pedicular diameter (IPD) of the lumbar canal, the antero posterior diameter (APD2) and transverse diameter (TD) of the dural sac, followed by the evaluation of APD2/APD1 (R1) and TD/IPD (R2) ratio.

Results: The mean age was 38+/9.34 years. The general average APD of the lumbar canal (APD1) was 15.41±0.55mm, with a minimal average of 10.48±0.57mm and a maximal average of 25.00±2.60mm. The general average IPD was 23.27±1.67mm, with a minimal average of 13.68±1.46mm and a maximal average of 33.68±1.46mm. The average APD of the dural sac (APD2) was 11.60±0.66mm, with a minimal average of 10.7±0.66mm and a maximal average of 10.7±0.66mm. The average TD of the dural sac was 15.55±1.54mm, with a minimal average of 14.03±2.43mm and a maximal average of 17.63±1.82mm. The evaluation of the ratio ADP2/ADP1 (R1) found general average R1 of 0.80±0.04, with a minimal average R1 of 0.76±0.06 and a maximal average R1 of 0.85±0.07. The ratio TD/IPD (R2) found an average R2 of 0.69±0.14, with a minimal average of 0.5±0.12 and a maximal average of 0.84±0.08.

Conclusion: The diameters of the lumbar canal and dural sac in Togo do not differ significantly from those described in the literature.

Keywords: Lumbar spinal canal, dural sac, biometrics, computer tomography, Togo