High Yield Radiology Notes
- Sprengel’s – unilateral elevation of scapula; actually, failure of scapula to descend.
- Omovertebral bone – often seen with sprengel’s. Often associates Klippel-Feil syndrome, blocked vertebra, webbed neck
- Rhomboid fossa – a muscular impression on X-ray. No clinical consequence.
- Hemivertebra – only neatly triangular when drawn.
- Scrambled spine, also a structural scoliosis.
- Butterfly vertebra – missing primary ossification centers in the body, apparently migrating to the levels above and below.
- Intrathoracic rib – unlikely to produce any complications.
- Synostosis of rib (bifid rib, or costal synostosis). Failure to separate.
- Elongation of L5 TP, considered a physiologic variant most likely calcification of iliolumbar ligament.
- Spina bifida in the lumbar vertebra seems to associate with increased disc pathology.
- Reversed thoracic kyphosis or thoracic lordosis: recommendable to perform thoracic cage mensuration. If linked with a heart murmur, then straight back syndrome. If there is a heart murmur it is likely a result of floppy valve syndrome. High percentage have pathology requiring valve replacement.
- Costochondral ossification – physiologic calcification – everything (serum and tissue calcium) is normal.
- Thoracolumbar transitional ribs.
- Notochordal persistency resulting in cupid’s bow.
- Winking owl sign – metastasis (most common) or congenital. Sclerosis of the contralateral indicates congenital because it takes a long time to sclerose.
- There is an apparent correlation between spina bifida and DJD.
- Springboard divers, interior lineman, gymnasts are at high risk for acquired splondylolysis.
- If flexion/extension demonstrate 3% or more translation you confirm unstable listhesis; less than 3% does not rule in or out anything.
- Oppenheimer’s ossicles – nonunion of growth centers.
- Lordotic sacrum
- Injection granulomas [from arthritic injections in the gluteus] called dystrophic calcification (regularly seen in patients).
- Pseudotumor of the pelvis – results from observation of the growth plate between the ischial and pubic rami.
- Fabella – sesamoid-like bone in lateral gastroc often confused with synovial chondroplasia.
- Rockerbottom foot – missing tarsal bones
- Bipartate sesamoid bones.
- Tarsal coalition – bony bars in the tarsals.
- Pseudotumor of the humerus – lucency that results from the attachment of rotators – it disappears on baby-arm X-ray
- Supracondylar process – found on the humerus and points toward the elbow joint (normal variant). Often confused with osteochondroma – points away from the joint, found anywhere on the body, and has a chondral cap.
- Maudline’s deformity – ulnar deviation of wrist
- Ulna minus – short ulna. Non united growth centre of ulnar styloid process.
- Radius minus.
- Synostosis – failure of the bones to separate.
