Calculation of canal/body ratio for lumbar spinal canal in dried vertebrae in Gujarat

Inter-pedicular distances of vertebral canal and width of lumbar vertebrae at levels L1 to L5 was measured in dry vertebrae of 63 subjects (32 male, 31 female) from Gujarat of age group 35 to 80 yrs. Mean transverse diameter (Inter-pedicular distance) is minimum at L1 (22.6 mm in male and 21.3 mm in female) and maximum at L5 (27.0 mm in male and 26.4 mm in female) showing a gradual increase from level L1 to L5. Mean width of the vertebral body is minimum at L1 (36.3 mm in male and 31.6 mm in female) and maximum at L5 (46.0 mm in male and 42.8 mm in female) showing a gradual increase from level L1 to L5. The canal/body ratio is range from 0.58 to 0.62 in male and 0.61 to 0.67 in female. Ratio between transverse diameter of vertebral canal and transverse diameter of the corresponding vertebral body does not seen to be constant at all lumbar level in both the sexes.