In the spine, variables related to signal changes (with the exception of the total size of the signal changes) or erosions were evaluated for both the upper and lower endplates of 23 DVUs in the 48 patients (2208 endplates).
The monosegmental Cobb angle (Keynan et al. 2006) between the lower endplate of the fractured vertebra and the upper endplate of the adjacent proximal vertebra was measured on lateral conventional radiographs using Phoenix PACS software (version 3.20.34233; Phoenix-PACS GmbH, Freiburg, Germany).
For the measurements of the bisegmental Cobb angle measured between the upper endplate of T12 and the lower endplate of L2 there were no significant differences between the groups (Tukey's Test (p > 0.05)) at all time points.
MCs II are present at the lower endplate of L1 and the upper endplate of L2, surrounding an endplate defect.
Two MCs I are present at the lower endplate of L5 and the upper endplate of S1.
Lumbar lordosis was measured from the upper endplate of L1 to the lower endplate of L5.
Since cage subsidence most commonly occurs at the lower endplate of the upper vertebra [ 2], only the maximum stress on the L3 endplate was calculated.
For the segmental lordosis of segments with PEEK cage insertion, the measurement was performed in lordosis forming the upper endplate of the upper vertebra and the lower endplate of the lower vertebra.
The reference structure is the pedicle related to the lower endplate of the disco-vertebral unit (DVU).
Specimens were excluded if fractures of T15 or L2 were present, there was injury to the posterior column of the L1 vertebra, or there were fractures of the lower endplate of T15 or upper endplate of L2.
