Normal thickness and appearance of the prevertebral soft tissues on multidetector CT

Area of Science:

• Radiology
• Medical Imaging
• Anatomy

Background:

• Prevertebral soft tissue (PVST) analysis aids in detecting cervical spine injuries.
• Multidetector CT (MDCT) is the current standard for cervical spine imaging, replacing traditional radiographs.
• Normal PVST thickness values on MDCT require re-evaluation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish normal upper limits for prevertebral soft tissue (PVST) thickness on multidetector CT (MDCT) images.
• To provide reference values for PVST thickness in the adult population using MDCT.
• To aid in the detection of cervical spine injuries through accurate PVST measurements.

Main Methods:

• PVST thickness was measured in 192 adult patients undergoing screening cervical spine MDCT.
• Measurements were performed using multiplanar reconstructions as part of a trauma protocol.
• Exclusion criteria included intubated patients, cervical spine abnormalities, and pre-existing injuries.

Main Results:

• Upper limits of normal for PVST thickness were established: 8.5 mm (C1), 6 mm (C2), 7 mm (C3), 18 mm (C6), and 18 mm (C7).
• Normal values for C4 and C5 were not determined due to anatomical variations (esophagus, larynx).
• C2 and C3 showed the least variability and smallest standard deviations.

Conclusions:

• PVST thickness is a critical indicator for identifying underlying cervical spine injuries.
• The proposed upper limits of normal for PVST thickness on MDCT are valuable for adult populations.
• These findings support the use of MDCT for precise PVST assessment in trauma evaluations.