A radiographic analysis on human lumbar vertebrae in the aged.

Radiographic analysis was made on human lumbar vertebrae (1st to 3rd) from 101 autopsy cases (54 males, 47 females) without primary and secondary osteopathy. The materials consisted with 11 control cases (28-59yr) and 90 cases of the aged subjects (60-92yr). The aged subjects were divided into four groups by decades. One vertebral body was removed from the column and three bone specimens, one mid-sagittal (Plane A) and two mid-horizontal (plane BL and BR) sections, of about 10 mm in thickness were prepared by a hand saw. Contact radiographs taken on films by a radiographic apparatus were analyzed. Radiographic images of Plane A in control showed a typical checker pattern consisting of vertical and horizontal trabeculae within a rim of a transversely elongated square. Planes B showed a uniform ring pattern of about 1.0 to 1.3 mm in diameter within a semi-circular dense cortical margin. The trabecular image of the male was somewhat denser and wider than those of the female. Radiographically the aged vertebrae were classified into four types. Type I wass a trabecular pattern indistinguishable from that of the control. Type IV was the most advanced from of vertebral atrophy. Type II and III were intermediate forms between previous two types. Early trabecular atrophy, which was characterized by slight decrease in trabecular density in Plane A and widened ring pattern in Planes B, was seen in Type II. In type TTT, these features were further exaggerated. Horizontal trabeculae in Plane A became indiscernible and the ring pattern in Planes B widened more significantly. In Type IV, the typical trabecular pattern was no longer seen...