Variations in pelvic dimensions: An anatomical and computed tomography study.

Area of Science:

• Anatomy
• Orthopedic Surgery
• Radiology

Background:

• The anterior pelvic plane (APP) is a critical anatomical landmark in orthopedic surgery and rehabilitation.
• Existing literature lacks data on APP dimensional variations in adult populations.
• APP is utilized in computer-assisted total hip replacement and gait analysis for hip center assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the range of dimensions for the anterior pelvic plane in the Scottish adult population.
• To provide reference data for clinical applications and research in hip biomechanics.

Main Methods:

• Measurements were taken from 35 human cadavers and 100 pelvic CT scans.
• Pelvic height and width were measured, and their ratios were calculated.
• Statistical analysis was performed to identify variations and differences between sexes.

Main Results:

• Mean pelvic width was 238.0 mm (range 188.3-273.8 mm) and mean height was 92.7 mm (range 71.2-114.7 mm).
• The mean width-to-height ratio was 2.59 (range 1.73-3.50).
• No significant sex-based differences were observed in APP dimensions.

Conclusions:

• The study presents normative data on anterior pelvic plane dimensions in a Scottish adult population.
• These findings are valuable for validating algorithms in computer navigation, hip joint center calculation, and gait analysis.
• Discrepancies between cadaveric and CT measurements highlight potential implications for research validity.