The spinal canal in cervical spondylosis

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Abstract
In cervical spondylosis with myelopathy the ratio of canal to vertebral bodies is low compared with the ratios in other patients. This could be due to a decrease in canal size, an increase in bone size or both. Canal size can be reduced by a decrease in the anteroposterior diameter of the canal or a decrease in the length of the canal due to a narrowing of disc spaces and a decrease in the height of the vertebral bodies. Vertebral size could increase by the formation of osteophytes and new bone. A relatively small canal might predispose to myelopathy in cases of spondylosis, an individual with a relatively large canal might escape myelopathy in similar circumstances. This method may be of great value in the investigation of various aspects of spondylosis.