The Journal of bone and joint surgery. American volume
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The sagittal diameter of the cervical spinal canal is of clinical importance in traumatic, degenerative, and inflammatory conditions. A small canal diameter has been associated with an increased risk of injury; however, there is a lack of reliable normative data on spinal canal diameters in different age groups in the United States population. The purpose of this study was to use direct measurement of skeletal specimens to determine the spectrum of the sagittal diameters of the cervical spinal canal, the frequency of cervical stenosis in the general population, and the prevalence of cervical stenosis for different age groups, races, and sexes. ⋯ Cervical spine stenosis appears to be very common. The radiographic finding of cervical stenosis should therefore be correlated with the clinical presentation prior to decision-making regarding treatment.