Morphometric analysis of the cervical intervertebral foramina: Establishment of a normative database in Jordanians using 3-D reconstructed computed tomography images

Purpose: Despite overwhelming clinical importance, no accurate threshold values of linear measurements of cervical intervertebral foramina exist that signify the switch of cases from asymptomatic to symptomatic state. The pattern of change of relevant morphometric values with regard to different parameters remain inconclusive. In Jordan, morphometric analysis of normal cervical intervertebral foramina is still absolutely lacking. We intend to establish a normative database of the linear measurements of the cervical intervertebral foramina in a representative sample of normal Jordanian population. Age-, gender-, vertebral level-, and laterality-dependent differences of these measurements are to be explored. Methods Parasagittal computerized tomographic images of 320 normal Jordanians, 16–37 years of age, were stratified according to age and gender, three-dimensionally reconstructed, and foraminal height and width at the levels C2/C3 through C7/T1 were bilaterally measured and statistically analyzed. Results The overall average foraminal height and foraminal width measured: 10.15, 8.09, 8.00, 8.18, 8.43, and 7.97, and 6.34, 5.73, 6.03, 6.11, 6.83, and 7.33 (in mm), for the levels C2/C3 through C7/T1, respectively with mean ratio Width/Height was 0.77. A consistent reciprocal cranio-caudal pattern of decrease of height and increase of width was evident. Males showed consistently higher height and width values with level of significance reached at upper and lower intervertebral levels. Although statistically insignificant, the Adolescent age group showed the highest values of height and width among all other age groups. Significant side-related differences were lacking. Conclusions The linear parameters of normal cervical intervertebral foramina in Jordanians correspond well with other published studies, and follow differential, gender- and age-dependent, craniocaudal pattern of change relative to multiple variables.