Spino Cranial Angle and Degenerative Cervical Spondylolisthesis

Area of Science:

• Neurosurgery
• Radiology
• Orthopedics

Background:

• Degenerative cervical spondylolisthesis (DCS) is a condition affecting the cervical spine.
• Understanding the biomechanical factors associated with DCS is crucial for diagnosis and management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare the spino cranial angle (SCA) in patients with DCS and healthy controls.
• To evaluate the diagnostic value of SCA in identifying DCS.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of cervical radiographs and CT scans from 50 DCS patients and 50 controls.
• Measurement of various sagittal parameters, including SCA and T1 slope (T1s).
• Statistical analysis using correlation, logistic regression, and ROC curve analysis.

Main Results:

• Patients with DCS exhibited a significantly lower SCA (76.84° ± 7.48°) compared to controls (82.47° ± 8.06°).
• The T1 slope (T1s) was significantly higher in the DCS group (27.29° ± 7.84°) than in controls (22.28° ± 6.43°).
• An SCA cutoff of <79.1° demonstrated significant diagnostic value for DCS detection.

Conclusions:

• Lower SCA and higher T1s are identified as risk factors for DCS.
• SCA measurement, particularly a value below 79.1 degrees, is a valuable tool for diagnosing DCS.