Luan Qinhua, Ban Yongguang, Liu Kai, Sun Bo, Wang Ximing, Lin Xiangtao
Shandong Provincial Hospital Affiliated to Shandong University, No. 324, Jing-wu Road, Jinan, 250021, People's Republic of China.
Shandong Medical Imaging Research Institute Affiliated to Shandong University, No. 324, Jing-wu Road, Jinan, 250021, People's Republic of China.
Surg Radiol Anat. 2020 Feb;42(2):137-141. doi: 10.1007/s00276-019-02324-6. Epub 2019 Sep 5.
Transverse ligament tubercles are unique structures that maintain the stability of the upper cervical spine. However, the density variations of tubercles in different clinical contexts or populations have not been carefully studied through multidetector computed tomography (MDCT).
This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between density variations in the transverse ligament tubercles, as measured through multidetector computed tomography (MDCT), with age, gender, or laterality.
A cohort of 339 Chinese patients that underwent MDCT in the head or neck were recruited. The patients were divided into eight age groups. The densities of the bilateral transverse ligament tubercles were classified through MDCT, and the potential relationship between the density of the tubercles and the age, gender, or laterality was analyzed.
Based on MDCT findings, four different density types of tubercles were identified (type 0-III). Our data suggest that the density of tubercles increased with age (χ = 637.7, p < 0.05). However, the density of tubercles did not correlate with laterality (male: t = 0.217, p > 0.05, female: t = 1.448, p > 0.05) or gender (χ = 5.706, p > 0.05).
The density of the transverse ligament tubercles, as measured through MDCT, shows a stereotyped dynamic pattern, i.e., it apparently increases with age, but neither gender nor laterality significantly contribute to these changes.
横韧带结节是维持上颈椎稳定性的独特结构。然而，尚未通过多排螺旋计算机断层扫描（MDCT）对不同临床背景或人群中结节的密度变化进行仔细研究。
本研究旨在评估通过多排螺旋计算机断层扫描（MDCT）测量的横韧带结节密度变化与年龄、性别或左右侧性之间的关系。
招募了339例在中国接受头颈部MDCT检查的患者。将患者分为八个年龄组。通过MDCT对双侧横韧带结节的密度进行分类，并分析结节密度与年龄、性别或左右侧性之间的潜在关系。
根据MDCT结果，确定了四种不同密度类型的结节（0-III型）。我们的数据表明，结节密度随年龄增加而增加（χ=637.7，p<0.05）。然而，结节密度与左右侧性（男性：t=0.217，p>0.05，女性：t=1.448，p>0.05）或性别（χ=5.706，p>0.05）无关。
通过MDCT测量的横韧带结节密度呈现出一种固定的动态模式，即明显随年龄增加，但性别和左右侧性对这些变化均无显著影响。
