J Korean Orthop Assoc JKOA Journal of the Korean Orthopaedic Association 1226-2102 2005-8918 The Korean Orthopaedic Association 10.4055/jkoa.2011.46.4.282 Original Article Comparison of Ultrasonography and MRI in Measuring of Cervical Soft Tissue Structure Shim Dae Moo M.D. Ph.D. Kim Tae Kyun M.D. Ph.D. Lee Seok Jung M.D. Ph.D. Song Seung Yeop M.D. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, School of Medicine, Wonkwang University, Iksan, Korea. Correspondence to: Tae Kyun Kim, M.D. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, School of Medicine, Wonkwang University, 344-2, Shinyong-dong, Iksan 570-749, Korea. TEL: +82-63-859-1360, FAX: +82-63-852-9329, osktg@wonkwang.ac.kr 08 2011 31 08 2011 46 4 282 287 17 08 2010 27 04 2011 Copyright © 2011 by The Korean Orthopaedic Association 2011

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 Purpose

We wanted to determine the usefullness of ultrasonography for exploring cervical anatomical structures and to compare its results with those of magnetic resonance imaging.

 Materials and Methods

Between May, 2008 and January, 2009, 16 patient (8 male patients and 8 female patients, average age: 55.5 years old) with neck pain following in out patient clinic and who had cervical MRI performed were selected. By using ultrasonography, we measured the shortest distance of the internal carotid artery, internal jugular vein, sternocleidomastoid muscle and longus colli muscle based on the vertebral body of cricoid cartilage. We also measured the thickness of the longus colli muscle. We measured the average length of the shortest distance and thickness of C6 on MRI axial view.

 Results

The length using ultrasonography showed that the average length was 2.12 cm for the internal carotid artery, 3.04 cm for the internal jugular vein, 4.34 cm for the sternocleidomastoid muscle and 0.68 cm for the longus colli muscle. Cervical MRI was used to measure the same structures. Its results were 2.23 cm for the internal carotid artery, 3.14 cm for the internal jugular vein, 4.39 cm for the sternocleidomastoid muscle and 0.70 cm for the longus colli muscle. We also measured the thickness of the longus colli muscle with ultrasonography and cervical MRI, and the results were 0.77 cm and 0.76 cm, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference between ultrasonography and MRI for the measurement of length, but there was a statistically significant difference for the measurement of thickness.

 Conclusion

There was a significant difference for the measurement of cervical anatomical stuctures using ultrasonography, and especially the longus coli thickness, as compared with that of MRI. Therefore, we suggest that ultrasonography can give more useful information for the diagnosis and treatment of problems in the cervical spinal field.

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MRI measurements of cervical soft tissue structure at C6 level.

Ultrasonographic measurements of cervical soft tissue structure. (A) Distance between the center of trachea and internal carotid artery. (B) Distance between the center of trachea and internal jugular vein. (C) Distance between the center of trachea and longus colli. (D) Distance between the center of trachea and SCM. (E) Thickness of longus colli. SCM, sternocleidomastoid muscle.

Comparison of Ultrasound and MRI Measurements of the Width of the Cervical Structures

p<0.05.

Compare US and MRI Measurements of the Thickness of Longus Colli

p>0.05.