Evaluation of Age Related Changes in Cervical Spine in Saudi Arabian Adult Population: Using CT Scan Images

Abstract

Purpose: Cervical spine is considered to be the most moving part of vertebral column. It is located in a very important part of the body i.e. neck having some very important structures related to it. Any age related changes occurring in such a part of vertebral column may lead to many disorders and disabilities. Complete familiarity of this entire region anatomically as well as radiologically is therefore of utmost importance for the diagnosis and management of such disorders. Aim of this work is to evaluate the frequency of age related degeneration in cervical spine in Saudi adult asymptomatic subjects using CT scan images. Methods: In this study, 105 cases of symptomless adults ranging between 18-90 years of age were included. The cases were classified into 3 groups; adult group (18-35 years old), middle age group (36-55 years old) and old age group (56-90 years old). Their CT scans were performed in the department of radiology, King Khalid Hospital, Al Kharj and studied for any age related changes. Results: The first age group category included 35 cases; 20 had normal and 15 degenerative changes. The second category included 35 cases; 3 had normal and 32 degenerative changes. The third category included 35 cases. Single had normal and 34 degenerative changes. Conclusion: Asymptomatic degenerative changes are common in the cervical spine after 30 years of age in Saudi adult asymptomatic subjects.

Magnetic resonance imaging findings of patients with neck pain in Erbil City

“…Within the first two decades of life little degenerative changes occur in the spine, it would be more apparent within the third decade and onwards, and start at the level of cervical discs and is most frequent at C5/C6 and C6/C7. 25 In this study, the clinical symptoms of the patients were radicular pain, paraesthesia, numbness, and weakness, while a study in North Nigeria Table 6: Association between radicular pain, with disc bulge and disc protrusion. In this study, the most common levels of the degenerative lesions in the cervical spines were at the level of C5-C6, followed by C6-C7 level.…”

“…The difference could due to the small sample size and the majority of the patients included in the study were from the third and fourth decade of life. 25,31 There was no significant statistical difference (P = 0.86) between the sex of the patients in relation to the MRI findings, where females had more cervical degenerative changes compared to males. This was in contrast to the results of a study in Nigeria.…”

“…Almost similar results were reported in a study done in Saudi Arabia and Switzerland. 25,30 While a study in China revealed that it was most common in C3/4 and C4/5. 27 In the present study, the majority of the patients with abnormal MRI findings were in the third and fourth decade of life (P = 0.35).The result is inconsistent with studies in Saudi Arabia and Japan, where degenerative changes tend to be more severe with advanced age.…”