Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 8, 2026

3D Printing Model of a Patient's Specific Lumbar Vertebra
07:30

3D Printing Model of a Patient's Specific Lumbar Vertebra

Published on: April 14, 2023

The lumbar spinal canal and its anatomical walls in Nigerian children

P U Nwoha1, Z O Alabi, A E Caxton-Martins

  • 1Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria.

East African Medical Journal
|August 1, 1991
PubMed

Insights

This study examined the lumbar spinal canal in Nigerian children, finding no congenital stenosis. Measurements revealed progressive increases in key diameters from top to bottom, with age showing no significant correlation.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Radiology
  • Anatomy
  • Orthopedics

Background:

  • Understanding typical lumbar spinal canal dimensions in children is crucial for diagnosing spinal stenosis.
  • Nigerian pediatric populations lack comprehensive radiological data on lumbar anatomy.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To radiologically characterize the lumbar spinal canal in healthy Nigerian children.
  • To establish normative data for lumbar canal dimensions and assess age-related correlations.

Main Methods:

  • Prospective radiological measurements of the lumbar spinal canal in 68 healthy Nigerian children (6-11 years).
  • Analysis included interpedicular diameter (IPD), vertebral diameter (VD), pedicular height (PH), pedicular diameter (PD), and canal-to-body ratio (CBR).

Main Results:

  • No congenital stenotic lumbar canal features were observed.
  • IPD and VD increased cranio-caudally; PH increased from L1-L2 then decreased L3-L5; PD increased L1-L5.
  • CBR approximated a constant of 0.65; age showed no significant correlation with measured diameters.

Conclusions:

  • The study provides normative radiological data for the pediatric lumbar spine in Nigeria.
  • Findings indicate typical developmental patterns of the lumbar canal, excluding congenital stenosis in the studied age group.

More Related Videos

Spinal Hernia Repair and Cauda Equina Repositioning After Lumbar Decompression under Three-Dimensional Microscopy: A Case Report and Literature Review04:33

Spinal Hernia Repair and Cauda Equina Repositioning After Lumbar Decompression under Three-Dimensional Microscopy: A Case Report and Literature Review

Published on: November 8, 2024

Transforaminal Full-Endoscopic Lumbar Foraminotomy Under Local Anesthesia for L5/S1 Adjacent Segment Foraminal Stenosis07:44

Transforaminal Full-Endoscopic Lumbar Foraminotomy Under Local Anesthesia for L5/S1 Adjacent Segment Foraminal Stenosis

Published on: October 17, 2025

Related Concept Videos

The Spinal Cord01:54

The Spinal Cord

The spinal cord is the body’s major nerve tract of the central nervous system, communicating afferent sensory information from the periphery to the brain and efferent motor information from the brain to the body. The human spinal cord extends from the hole at the base of the skull, or foramen magnum, to the level of the first or second lumbar vertebra.
Vertebral Column: Regions and Curvature01:16

Vertebral Column: Regions and Curvature

The vertebral column or spine is a flexible column that supports the head, neck, and body and  allows for their movements. It also protects the spinal cord.
Regions of the Vertebral Column
In an adult, the spine is subdivided into five regions: the cervical, the thoracic, the lumbar, the sacral, and the coccygeal region. The spine initially develops as a series of 33 vertebrae; after 20 years of age, the nine bones in the sacral region, five sacral, and four coccygeal bones fuse to form the...
Abdominal Regions and Quadrants01:19

Abdominal Regions and Quadrants

To promote clear communication, for instance, about the location of a patient's abdominal pain or a suspicious mass, anatomists and clinicians typically use imaginary lines to categorize the abdominopelvic cavity into either four quadrants or nine regions to identify organs in the cavity.
The simpler quadrants approach, which is more commonly used in medicine, subdivides the cavity with one horizontal and one vertical line that intersects at the patient's umbilicus (navel). The four quadrants...
Anatomy of the Brain: Ventricles01:18

Anatomy of the Brain: Ventricles

There are hollow fluid-filled cavities known as ventricles deep inside the human brain. There are two lateral ventricles, one in each cerebral hemisphere, and each has three different projections — the anterior, inferior, and posterior horns visible from the lateral side. A thin membrane called the septum pellucidum separates the two lateral ventricles. The slender third ventricle in the diencephalon is connected to each lateral ventricle via a channel called the interventricular foramen. The...
Spinal Cord: Cross-sectional Anatomy01:16

Spinal Cord: Cross-sectional Anatomy

The cross-sectional anatomy of the spinal cord offers a detailed view of its complex structure and function within the central nervous system. At the core of the spinal cord lies the gray matter, characterized by its butterfly or "H"-shaped appearance in cross-section. This central region is enveloped by white matter, with the overall structure divided into symmetrical halves by the dorsal median sulcus and the ventral median fissure.
Gray Matter and its Components
Central to the gray matter is...
Ureters01:22

Ureters

The ureters are retroperitoneal tubes located on either side of the vertebral column. They are responsible for transporting urine from each kidney to the urinary bladder. These tubes have thick walls and are approximately 25-30 cm long. Their diameter is around 10 mm at the renal pelvis, gradually narrowing to 1 mm as the ureter obliquely enters the posterior bladder wall through the ureteric orifices. The shape of these orifices is slit-like, which helps to prevent urine backflow toward the...