Measurement of the Normal Intervertebral Disc Space between L5-S1 in Sudanese Using MRI

Abstract

This descriptive analytic study aimed to measure the Normal L5/S1 Intervertebral Disc Space in Sudanese Using magnetic resonance imaging. 50 patients (26males and24 females) at age (20 – 50) years selected randomly when they attended to MRI department for lumbar spine examination then their heights and weights were reported. The horizontal and the vertical lengths of the intervertebral disc were measured on the mid-saggital section of the vertebral body. The study found the following results: the mean of the horizontal and the vertical lengths of L5/S1 Intervertebral Disc Space of age from (20-30) years (32.20±1.79mm)(10.9±0.95mm), (30-40)years (30.81±1.8mm) (10.33±0.81mm), and (40-50) years (31.60±2.14mm) (10.32±1.04mm) respectively. Also the study found inverse strong correlation between patient’s age and height and width of intervertebral disc, direct strong correlation between patient’s weight and height and width of intervertebral disc, and direct week correlation between patient’s length and height and width of intervertebral disc. The study concluded that the mean of height for normal L5/S1 intervertebral disc space of Sudanese 10.49 and it’s similar to other populations that compared with them. The normal L5/S1 intervertebral disc space influenced by age, patient’s heights and weights, and youngest, longest and thinnest patients had wider intervertebral disc than other study groups.