Reliability of Anatomic Landmarks in Lumbar Puncture: Does Gender Matter?
Author Information
Author(s): Maryam Rahmani, Seyed Mehran Vaziri Bozorg, Ahmad Reza Ghasemi Esfe, Afsaneh Morteza, Omid Khalilzadeh, Elham Pedarzadeh, Madjid Shakiba
Primary Institution: Tehran University of Medical Sciences
Hypothesis
Does the position of the conus medullaris and Tuffier's line vary with age and gender?
Conclusion
Anatomical landmarks vary according to age and gender, with a lower end of conus medullaris in women, so clinicians should be more cautious when performing lumbar punctures, especially in elderly women.
Supporting Evidence
- Women over 50 years old had a significantly lower conus medullaris position compared to men.
- Short conus-Tuffier's distance was more frequent among women than men in patients older than 50.
- Conus-Tuffier's distance was negatively correlated with age.
Takeaway
This study found that the position of important spinal landmarks is different for men and women, especially in older people, which is important for safely performing spinal procedures.
Methodology
A cross-sectional study using MR imaging to assess the conus medullaris and Tuffier's line in 189 adult participants.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to the exclusion of patients with certain spinal conditions.
Limitations
The study's cross-sectional nature limits the ability to determine causality, and the sample consisted only of patients with low back pain.
Participant Demographics
189 adults aged 20 to 73, with 72 males and 117 females.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p<0.05
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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