Multi-slice Spiral CT Study Of Intervertebral Foraminal Stenosis In Cervical Radiculopathy

[Objective] To investigate the features and the causes of intervertebral foraminal stenosis in cervical radiculopathy, and evaluate multi-slice spiral CT (MSCT) and multiplanar reconstruction (MPR) in the abnormality of cervical intervertebral foramen.[Methods] The subjects included101patients with the symptoms and signs of cervical radiculopathy and the cervical intervertebral foraminal stenosis which were proved by MSCT and MPR. They were50males and51females with age ranging from31to68years (mean age=47.5years). The MPR methods included the sagittal plane, the oblique sagittal plane perpendicular to neural foramen and the axial plane parallel to the disc space. The comprehensive observations were used to analyze the stenosis of the cervical intervertebral foramen and its underlying causes.[Results](1) The most commonly involved intervertebral foraminal stenosis was C5-C6in any age group (105/263,39.9%). Single level abnormality (53/101,52.5%) was the primary manifestation of intervertebral foraminal stenosis. The patients with3or4levels intervertebral foraminal stenosis were mostly seen in50to59and60to69age groups.(2) Hyperosteogeny of luschka joints (114/263,43.3%) was the major cause of intervertebral foraminal stenosis followed by the combination of two factors (57/263,21.7%) causing intervertebral foraminal stenosis. Single factor (90/105,5.7%) was the primary cause of intervertebral foraminal stenosis in30to39and40to49age groups. Meanwhile, of two or more factors causing cervical intervertebral foraminal stenosis81.9%were seen in50to59and60to69age groups.(3) The Central type (161/231,69.7%) was the main type of disc herniation and the remaining30.3%was the posterolateral type. However the posterolateral disc herniation (63/75,84%) accounted for the great majority of the disc herniation causing the intervertebral foraminal stenosis.[Conclusion] Hyperosteogeny of luschka joints is the primary cause of intervertebral foraminal stenosis in cervical radiculopathy, followed by the combination of two factors. The posterolateral disc herniation is inclined to cause the stenosis of intervertebral foramen compared with the central one. The level numbers and the caused factors of the intervertebral foraminal stenosis vary with the different age groups. MSCT and MPR can clearly demonstrate the surrounding structure of the cervical intervertebral foramen and accurately identify the abnormalities of cervical intervertebral foramen.