Morphological comparison between adolescent and adult lumbar pedicles using computerised tomography scanning

Area of Science:

• Spinal anatomy and morphology
• Orthopedic surgery
• Radiology

Background:

• Limited data exists on lumbar pedicle morphology, particularly in the Malaysian population.
• Adolescent and adult lumbar pedicle differences are not well-characterized.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate and compare the morphological differences of lumbar pedicles between adolescent and adult individuals.
• To provide essential data for safe surgical interventions involving the lumbar pedicle.

Main Methods:

• Computed tomography (CT) scans were utilized to measure key pedicle parameters.
• Parameters included outer/inner diameters, cortical thickness, length, and transverse/sagittal angles.
• Statistical analysis compared measurements between adolescent and adult groups.

Main Results:

• Adolescent lumbar pedicles exhibited significantly smaller mean measurements across all parameters compared to adults (p < 0.05).
• Specific mean values for adolescent group: outer diameter 8.9 mm, inner diameter 6.3 mm, medial thickness 1.6 mm, lateral thickness 1.3 mm, length 41.7 mm, transverse angle 20.0°, sagittal angle 16.0°.
• Specific mean values for adult group: outer diameter 9.8 mm, inner diameter 7.0 mm, medial thickness 1.7 mm, lateral thickness 1.4 mm, length 44.8 mm, transverse angle 21.7°, sagittal angle 17.4°.

Conclusions:

• Significant morphological disparities exist in lumbar pedicles between adolescent and adult populations.
• These differences are particularly pronounced in males.
• Knowledge of age-specific pedicle morphology is vital for enhancing the safety of pedicle-based spinal procedures.