A Study of Radiation Incidence Angle in Anteroposterior Cervical Vertebra Examination

In anteroposterior projection for cervical vertebra, it is general that the incidence angle of X-ray is $15^{\circ}$ to $20^{\circ}$ degrees to head in order to prevent overlap of mandible and occipital bone and to observe array of cervical interbody and shapes of joints. However, the angle is appropriate for foreigners that was determined by foreign literature review long ago, and there have been few researches of incidence angle for Koreans' body type. The purpose of in this study are to identify the incidence angle appropriate for Koreans and to present methodology. In order to measure the incidence angle, 1,044 patients who visited S Hospital located in Seosan were selected and measured of average length of cervical vertebra, OID, axis angle, and FID. The incidence angle was calculated from the applied formula by measuring average values per age groups and sex (see Formula 1 and 2). The average length of cervical vertebra was 6cm: the length was increased from teenagers to twenties but was decreased since thirties. The difference between males and females was around 1cm (p<.01). The OID was almost the same regardless of age groups and sex. As for axis angle, the slope was increased in teenagers and twenties, but was decreased since thirties. The difference between males and females was around 2 degrees (p<.01). The FID measurements were almost the same regardless of age groups and sex, and when the incidence angle was measured from these values, the teenagers were $15.9^{\circ}$, the twenties were $16.9^{\circ}$, the thirties were $16.6^{\circ}$, the forties were $16.2^{\circ}$, the fifties were $15.9^{\circ}$, and the sixties were $14.5^{\circ}$, indicating that the angle was increased from teenagers to the twenties but decreased since the thirties. While the angles of males and females were measured to be the same in the teenagers, the angle was different between males and females by $2^{\circ}$. When the incidence angle statistically analyzed with measurement of average length of cervical vertebra, OID, axis angle, and FID, all of them were shown to have correlations with the incidence angle (p<.01). Conclusively, it was shown that the incidence angle was measured differently from average length of cervical vertebra, OID, FID, and axis slope, as well as from age and sex. Therefore, it can be suggested that the anteroposterior radiation test for cervical vertebra should be conducted by different incidence angles based on age and sex. The data of this study may be used as reference in determining the incidence angle of cervical vertebra tests for the future.

경추 정면 검사에서 방사선 입사각에 관한 연구

경추 정면 방사선검사시 하악골, 후두골의 겹침방지, 경추 추체의 배열 및 관절의 형태 등을 관찰하기 위하여 X선 입사각을 머리 방향으로 $15{\sim}20^{\circ}$를 주고 있는 것이 보편적이다. 하지만 한국인의 체형에 맞는 입사각에 대한 연구는 거의 이루어지지 않고 있다. 이에 본 연구에서는 한국인에 적합한 입사각을 찾고, 방법을 제시하는데 목적이 있다. 입사각을 측정하기 위하여 서산에 위치한 S병원을 내원한 환자 1,044명을 대상으로 하였으며, 제 2번~제 5번 경추의 길이, 피사체-영상판 거리(OID), 제2번경추(axis)의경사도, 초점-영상판 간거리(FID)를 측정하였으며, 연령대 성별에 대한 평균값을 측정하여 적용공식에 의하여 입사각을 산출하였다. 경추 제2번~제5번의 평균길이는 6cm 이였으며, 10대부터 20대까지는 경추의 길이가 커지고 30대 이후로는 경추의 길이가 작아졌으며, 남성과 여성의 차이는 약 1cm 차이가 나타났다(p<.001). OFD는 연령대, 성별과 상관없이 거의 같은 값이 측정이 되었다. 제2번 경추(axis)의 경사도는 10대와 20대는 경사도가 증가하였지만, 30대 이후로는 작게 나타났다. 또한 남성과 여성은 약 $2^{\circ}$차이가 났다(p<.001). FID의 측정 결과, 연령대, 성별과 상관없이 거의 같은 값이 측정되었으며, 이 값으로 입사각을 측정한 결과, 10대는 $15.9^{\circ}$, 20대 $16.9^{\circ}$, 30대 $16.6^{\circ}$, 40대 $16.2^{\circ}$, 50대 $15.9^{\circ}$, 60대 $14.5^{\circ}$로 측정되었다. 10대와 20대까지 입사각이 증가하였지만, 30대 부터는 입사각이 작게 나타났다. 또한 10대는 남성과 여성이 같은 값으로 측정이 되었고, 20대부터는 남성과 여성이 $2^{\circ}$ 차이가 나타났다. 입사각과 제 2번~제 5번 경추의 길이측정, OID, 제 2번 경추의 경사도, FID와의 상관관계를 실시하였고, 입사각과 모두 유의한 상관관계가 나타났다(p<.001). 본 연구에서 경추의 평균 길이, OID, FID, 제2번 경추(axis)의 경사도에 따라서 입사각이 다르게 나타났고, 성별과 연령에 따라 입사각이 다른 것을 알 수 있었다. 그러므로 경추 정면검사 시 연령, 성별을 고려하여 입사각을 설정하면서 검사를 시행하여야 함이 사료되며, 향후 경추검사의 입사각을 설정할 때 참고 자료로 이용될 것으로 기대된다.