Sagittal diameter of the cervical canal in normal Indian adults

This paper is based on a radiographic study of 300 normal individuals from 18 to 34 years of age comprising 207 males and 93 females. A lateral radiograph of the cervical spine with a focal-film distance of 6 ft was obtained of each subject to measure the sagittal diameter of the cervical spinal canal. The mean sagittal diamter ranged from 21.43 mm at C1 to 16.42 mm at C7 in males and from 20.13 mm at C1 to 15.54 mm C7 in females. This diameter decreased from C1 down to C4 or C5 where there was a gradual but marginal increase to C6. This diameter was smallest at C7. In general the sagittal diameters In females were about 1 mm less than in males at all vertebral levels. The smallest sagittal diamter from C3 to C7 in both sexes was 13 mm. The largest sagittal diameter varied from 20.5 to 28 mm in males and 18.5 to 26 mm in females. The mean sagittal diameter showed some relationship to height in males. No significant difference was observed in relation to weight. The posterior component of the sagittal diameter was smaller in females than in males due to a difference in development of the laminae.