Correlation and reliability of cervical sagittal alignment parameters between plain radiographs and multipositional...

Area of Science:

• Radiology
• Orthopedics
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• Cervical sagittal alignment is crucial for spinal health.
• Assessing alignment typically involves dynamic cervical radiography, which exposes patients to radiation.
• Multipositional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) offers a potential radiation-free alternative.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the validity and reliability of cervical sagittal alignment parameters using multipositional MRI compared to dynamic cervical radiography.
• To determine if multipositional MRI can accurately substitute for plain radiography in assessing cervical alignment.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective study analyzed 65 patients who underwent both multipositional MRI and dynamic cervical radiography.
• Key parameters including C2-7 angle, C2-7 SVA, T1 slope, and others were measured in neutral, flexion, and extension positions.
• Inter- and intraobserver reliability were assessed using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs), and correlations were analyzed with Pearson coefficients.

Main Results:

• All measured cervical sagittal alignment parameters showed significant positive correlations between multipositional MRI and dynamic radiography.
• Inter- and intraobserver reliability for all parameters were excellent across both imaging modalities.
• Pearson correlation coefficients indicated moderate to strong correlations, confirming the agreement between the two methods.

Conclusions:

• Multipositional MRI provides reliable measurements of cervical sagittal alignment parameters.
• This technique serves as a valuable, radiation-free alternative for evaluating degenerative cervical diseases, comparable to traditional X-rays.