Observation and measurement of applied anatomical features for thoracic intervertebral foramen puncture on computed tomography images

Table 1 Occlusion of the transverse process spaces of different segments by the rib head/neck (both sides)

Segment	No occlusion	0 < Occlusion ≤ 1/2	Occlusion > 1/2
T1-2 (n = 12)	12 (100%)	0	0
T2-3 (n = 34)	15 (44.12%)	19 (55.88%)	0
T3-4 (n = 46)	5 (10.87%)	39 (84.78%)	2 (4.35%)
T4-5 (n = 46)	0	37 (80.43%)	9 (19.57%)
T5-6 (n = 28)	0	15 (53.57%)	13 (46.43%)
T6-7 (n = 32)	0	4 (12.50%)	28 (87.50%)
T7-8 (n = 24)	0	5 (20.83%)	19 (79.17%)
T8-9 (n = 32)	0	6 (18.75%)	26 (81.25%)
T9-10 (n = 32)	0	10 (31.25%)	22 (68.75%)
T10-11 (n = 20)	0	16 (80.00%)	4 (20.00%)
T11-12 (n = 16)	2 (12.50%)	14 (87.50%)	0
T12-L1 (n = 12)	12 (100%)	0	0

Table 2 Occlusion of the transverse process spaces of upper, middle, and lower segments by the rib head/neck (both sides)

Segment	Occlusion	Occlusion > 1/2
Upper segments (T1-5, n = 138)	106 (76.81%)a	11 (7.97%)a
Middle segments (T5-9, n = 116)	116 (100%)	86 (74.14%)
Lower segments (T9-L1, n = 80)	66 (82.5%)a	26 (32.50%)a

^aP < 0.05 vs middle segments.

Table 3 Parameters related to the upper 1/3 level of the intervertebral foramen for puncture

Segment	Wp/Wv > 1	Wp/Wv ≤ 1	Puncture angle (left)	Puncture angle (right)	P value
T1-2 (n = 6)	6 (100%)	0	42.73 ± 2.73	48.95 ± 2.20	0.151
T2-3 (n = 17)	17 (100%)	0	62.55 ± 8.51	61.76 ± 6.71	0.484
T3-4 (n = 23)	23 (100%)	0	69.02 ± 5.76	69.68 ± 6.09	0.705
T4-5 (n = 23)	23 (100%)	0	71.76 ± 4.89	71.93 ± 6.67	0.925
T5-6 (n = 14)	14 (100%)	0	71.10 ± 6.13	70.88 ± 7.00	0.709
T6-7 (n = 16)	16 (100%)	0	73.78 ± 3.39	73.68 ± 4.53	0.944
T7-8 (n = 12)	12 (100%)	0	76.96 ± 4.96	75.91 ± 4.22	0.581
T8-9 (n = 16)	16 (100%)	0	79.26 ± 5.25	79.74 ± 5.65	0.805
T9-10 (n = 16)	16 (100%)	0	76.65 ± 4.98	77.12 ± 5.72	0.808
T10-11 (n = 10)	7 (70%)	3 (30%)	83.29 ± 6.92	82.98 ± 6.53	0.918
T11-12 (n = 8)	0	8 (100%)	90 ± 0	90 ± 0	-
T12-L1 (n = 6)	0	6 (100%)	90 ± 0	90 ± 0	-

P value: Comparison of puncture angle between the right and left. W_P: The width of the lateral border of the articular process/lamina; W_V: The width of the posterior border of the vertebral body.