Abstract:

Objective　To assess the paravertebral muscle cross section measurement for evaluation of the impact of surgery on the paravertebral muscle structure and function provided by it.　Method　95 cases of patients with thoracic or lumbar vertebral fracture underwent CT scan, anatomic landmarks were marked on the horizontal sections. Measurements involving the largest coronary diameter, the largest sagittal diameter and the area of paravertebral muscles were carried out, and analysis of the correlations of the abovementioned parameters to paraspinal muscle injury, postoperative residual pain and dysfunction were performed. Results There was statistically significant difference among the preoperative, the postoperative, and the last paravertebral muscle area measured during the following-up;  Moreover, the last horizontal section area measured was smaller than the preoperative one(P<0.01), which in turn was smaller than the postoperative one(P<0.05) The difference between postoperative and preoperative largest coronary and sagittal diameter of the paravertebral muscles, and the differnce between the last and preoperative largest coronary and sagittal diameter of the paravertebral muscles were both correlated to the VAS pain score and the postoperative Oswestry dysfunction index evaluated 4 days postoperativelly  (b'= -0.521).　Conclusion　Can accurately identify the anatomical landmarks, the largest coronary and sagittal diameter and the horizontal area of the paraspinal muscles can all be accurately identified and measured in CT cross section, which together can provide an objective evaluation of the surgical paraspinal muscle damage.

Key words: CT, Paravertebral muscles, Cross-sectional area, Measurement