Cervical spinal stenosis: determination with vertebral body ratio method.

Transient bilateral sensory and motor symptoms after trauma, including complete paralysis, have been identified in patients with cervical spinal stenosis. Radiographs of 23 patient athletes with cervical spinal neurapraxia were used for measurement of the cervical spinal canal. Two methods of measurement were used. In the conventional method, sagittal diameter is measured from the posterior surface of the vertebral body to the nearest point of the corresponding laminar line. In the ratio method, the sagittal diameter of the spinal canal is divided by the sagittal diameter of the corresponding vertebral body. Results indicate the ratio method is reliable for determining cervical spinal stenosis and is independent of technical factor variables.