Method for foraminal stenosis ratio using 3-dimensional CT

A method for providing a foraminal stenosis ratio using a 3-dimensional computerized tomography (CT) scanner, the method comprising:

• (a) transmitting a spine image of a patient by the 3-dimensional CT scanner in response to an input signal, the spine image being captured by the 3-dimensional CT scanner;
• (b) extracting spine boundary information and neural foramen area information based on a pixel value of the spine image;
• (c) storing the spine boundary information and the neural foramen area information in an information storage medium;
• (d) calculating the foraminal stenosis ratio using the spine image, the spine boundary information, and the neural foramen area information;
• and
• (e) outputting maximum neural foramen area information of the neural foramen area information, a neural foramen angle for the maximum neural foramen area information, and the foraminal stenosis ratio,
• wherein the (b) step includes detecting a neural foramen between adjacent vertebrae by using the pixel value of the spine image obtained by erasing a facet joint and a spinous process from the spine image of the patient and extracting the neural foramen area information.