Upper and lower cervical alignment parameters measured on supine magnetic resonance imaging with the occipital slope as a key marker of cervical alignment.

Objectives: Cervical spine alignment is evaluated by measuring the cervical angles or parameters on standing plain radiography. In this study, we aimed to evaluate mainly the upper cervical alignment and the correlation between upper and lower cervical sagittal parameters measured on supine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Materials And Methods: Cervical MRIs of 210 outpatients were reviewed to measure the upper and lower cervical sagittal parameters.

L1 slope: an overlooked spinal parameter.

Objective: Lumbar lordosis can be divided into two parts by a horizontal line, creating the L1 slope and the sacral slope. Despite being a major spinopelvic parameter, the L1slope (L1S) is rarely reported. However, there is some evidence that L1S is a relatively constant parameter.

A simple method for the selection of valid spinopelvic parameters and lumbar lordosis in patients with transitional lumbosacral vertebrae.

Purpose: Transitional lumbosacral vertebrae (TLSV) are a congenital anomaly of the lumbosacral region that is characterized by the presence of a vertebra with morphological properties of both the lumbar and sacral vertebrae, with a prevalence of up to 36% in asymptomatic patients and 20% in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis patients. In patients with TLSV, because of these morphological changes and the different numbers of lumbar vertebrae, there are two optional reference sacral endplates that can be selected intently or inadvertently to measure the spinopelvic parameters: upper and lower endplates. The spinopelvic parameters measured using the upper and lower endplates are significantly different from each other as well as from the normative values.

Tracing the disc: The novel qualitative morphometric MRI based disc degeneration classification system.

Background: This study aimed to develop a classification system for lumbar disc degeneration using routine magnetic resonance images (MRIs) that is easily applicable and unaffected by existing classifications' limitations, and to compare its reliability, reproducibility, and discriminative power to the widely used Pfirrmann classification.

Methods: Five features were graded. This new classification system has eight grades, with at least one of these five features altering each grade.

Analysis of Spinopelvic Parameters and Lumbar Lordosis in Patients with Transitional Lumbosacral Vertebrae, with Special Reference to Sacralization and Lumbarization.

Background: Transitional lumbosacral vertebra presents in 2 forms based on its origin: sacralization and lumbarization. These patients have 2 options for sacral endplates (upper and lower) and consequently, 2 sets of values for spinopelvic parameters and lumbar lordosis (LL). This study aimed to evaluate these parameters in asymptomatic patients with sacralization and lumbarization and compare them with each other and normative values.