Experience in the study of paleopathology of the spine using computed tomography and radiography 

Vasilyev S.V., Bulgin D.V., Simavonyan K.V., Borutskaya S.B., Emelyanchik O.A., Oganesyan A.O., Kartashov S.I., Chichaev I.A.

 

VESTNIK ARHEOLOGII ANTROPOLOGII I ETNOGRAFII   ¹ 3 (58)  (2022)

 

https://doi.org/10.20874/2071-0437-2022-58-3-12

 

              page 136147

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Abstract

In this paper, an interesting case of spinal pathology is considered. In 2015, under the supervision of V.V. Cherevko, archaeological excavations were carried out on the territory of a cemetery near the village of Vaskovichi, Glubokoye district, Vitebsk region (Republic of Belarus). In the course of the archaeological excava-tions, two burials were discovered, which date back to the end of the 19th century. The remains from the burial 2 belonged to a relatively young male, lying on his back with his hands stretched down and the spine unnaturally curved in the lumbar region. To diagnose the pathological change, computer tomography and radiography of the spine of the man, who lived about 150 years ago in the countryside of Belarus, were applied. The scanning of the object under study was carried out at the Resource Center for Nuclear Physics Research Methods using X-rays on a 40-slice PET-CT tomograph. Radiography was carried out at the Research Institute of Medical Primatology. The most likely cause of this pathology was tuberculous spondylosis — unstable compression fractures of the bodies of the ninth through to the twelfth thoracic vertebrae and fusion of the resulting bone mass with the body of the first lumbar vertebra. As a result, a kyphotic bone conglomerate was formed in the area of transition of the thoracic to the lumbar spine. There was osteomalacia of the bodies of the corresponding thoracic vertebrae. The torso became bent. When the person was standing, his head should have been at the level of his pelvis. It is hard to imagine how this person could move around, care for himself, and have a normal life. The disease proceeded, most likely, without serious neurological disorder. The fact of the chronic course of the deformity indirectly testifies in favor of the latter, and, accordingly, for the gradual progression of the deformity it is necessary that the spine was in an upright position, that is that the person could walk a little, at least sit, not being bed-ridden or paralyzed.

Keywords: computed tomography, radiography, spine, spinal cord, vascularization.

 

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.

Accepted: 30.05.2021

Article is published: 15.09.2022

 

Vasilyev S.V., The Institute of Ethnology and Anthropology RAS, Leninsky Prospekt, 32A, Moscow, 119334, Russian Federation, E-mail: vasbor1@yandex.ru, https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0128-6568
 

Bulgin D.V., Research Institute of Medical Primatology, Mira st., 177, village Vesyoloe, Adler district, Sochi, 354376, Russian Federation, E-mail: molmed1999@yahoo.com, https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1739-8505

 

Simavonyan K.V.,  Research Institute of Medical Primatology, Mira st., 177, village Vesyoloe, Adler district, Sochi, 354376, Russian Federation, E-mail: kaitzak@yandex.ru, https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9119-8822

 

Borutskaya S.B., Lomonosov Moscow State University, Leninskie Gory, 1, p. 10, Moscow, 119991, Russian Federation, E-mail: vasbor1@yandex.ru, https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0753-151X

 

Emelyanchik O.A., Polotsk State University, Blokhina st., 29, Novopolotsk, 211440, Republic of Belarus, E-mail: o.emeljanchik@psu.by, https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8813-4411

 

Oganesyan A.O., Research Institute of Medical Primatology, Mira st., 177, village Vesyoloe, Adler district, Sochi, 354376, Russian Federation, E-mail: artem.25.89.og@gmail.com, https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0450-1702

 

Kartashov S.I., NRC “Kurchatov Institute”, pl. Akademica Kurchatova, 1, Moscow, 123182, Russian Federation, E-mail: sikartashov@gmail.com, https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0181-3391

 

Chichaev I.A., NRC “Kurchatov Institute”, pl. Akademica Kurchatova, 1, Moscow, 123182, Russian Federation, E-mail: 3874363@gmail.com, https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7155-0681