Correlation Of Cervical And Thoracic Inlet Sagittal Parameters By MRI And Radiography

Objective: To investigate the relationship between cervical and thoracic sagittal alignment parameters measured by magnetic resonance imaging(MRI)and X-ray in a symptomatic population.Methods: Data from 120 symptomatic patients who presented with cervical disorders between April 2015 and January 2016 were retrospectively analyzed.Patients received both a cervical MRI and a cervical radiograph during a single visit.The thoracic inlet angle(TIA),T1 slope(T1S),neck tilt(NT),C2-C7 angle(C2-C7),and C2-C7 sagittal vertical axis(C2-7 SVA)were assessed.Pearson correlation coefficient,paired t test,and linear regression models were used to analyze parameters obtained by cervical MRI and radiography.Results: The difference in mean thoracic inlet angle X-ray(TIAX)and thoracic inlet angle MRI(TIAM)(TIAM–TIAX)(0.72 ± 5.82°)was not significant(P>0.05).There were significant differences in mean T1 slope X-ray(T1SX)and T1 slope MRI(T1SM)(T1SM-T1SX)(-2.55 ± 6.14°),mean neck tilt X-ray(NTX)and neck tilt MRI(NTM)(NTM-NTX)(3.26 ± 6.01°),mean C2-C7 angle X-ray(C2-7X)and C2-C7 angle MRI(C2-7M)(C2-7M-C2-7X)(-3.57 ± 10.00°),and mean C2-C7 sagittal vertical axis X ray(C2-7 SVAX)and C2-C7 sagittal vertical axis MRI(C2-7 SVAM)(C2-7 SVAM-C2-7 SVAX)(-4.50 ± 1.26 mm)(all P?0.001).There were positive correlations between TIAM and TIAX(r=0.807),T1 SM and T1SX(r=0.581),NTM and NTX(r=0.759),cervical loidosis MRI and cervical loidosis X-ray(r=0.666),and SVAM and SVAX(r=0.226).Conclusion: MRI may be useful to evaluate thoracic inlet and sagittal alignment parameters in select patients.