Radiographic measurement of prevertebral soft tissue thickness on lateral radiographs of the neck

• Published in: Skeletal radiology Vol. 28; no. 8; pp. 444 - 446
• Main Authors: Chen, M. Y. M., Bohrer, Stanley P.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin Springer 01.08.1999; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Adult; Biological and medical sciences; Cervical Vertebrae - diagnostic imaging; Female; Humans; Investigative techniques, diagnostic techniques (general aspects); Male; Medical sciences; Neck - anatomy & histology; Neck - diagnostic imaging; Otorhinolaryngology. Stomatology. Orbit; Radiodiagnosis. Nmr imagery. Nmr spectrometry; Radiography; Reference Values; Standard deviation; Human; Radiography; Image analysis; Radiodiagnosis; Disease; Anterior; Soft tissue; Neck; Medical screening; Normal; Cervical spine; Thickness measurement
• ISSN: 0364-2348; 1432-2161
• DOI: 10.1007/s002560050543

The prevertebral soft tissue measurement is commonly used for assessing prevertebral pathology such as abscesses or hematomas after injury. Very few references concerning the ratio of retrotracheal thickness to C5 diameter are available in the literature. The purpose of this study was to measure the normal soft tissue thickness at the C5 level of the neck and to establish the normal ratio of retrotracheal soft tissue thickness to the diameter of C5 for daily use. We measured soft tissue thickness in the neck of 54 normal subjects and calculated the mean and standard deviation. Using mean plus one standard deviation the maximum retrocricoid soft tissue thickness was 0.7xC5 diameter and maximum retrotracheal thickness was 1.0xC5 diameter. Soft tissue thickness that exceeds this limit must be studied further for signs of potential disease.