Pathology - Lumbar/Sacrum Flashcards
Developmental anomaly charactertized by incomplete closure of the vertebral canal
Spinal Bifida
A defect in the pars interarticularis that gives the scottie dog the appearance of a fracture through the neck in the oblique projection. It most commonly involves the fifth lumbar vertebra and predisposes it to the forward displacement of one vertebra on the other
Spondylolysis
The foward displacement of one vertebra on the other
Spondylolisthesis
Metabolic disorder of unknown etiology - one of the most common chronic diseases of the skeleton. Destruction of bone followed by a reparative process results in weakened, deformed, and thickened bony structures that tend to fracture easily. Often involving multiple bones, it particularly affects the pelvis, femurs, skull, tibias, vertebrae, clavicles, and ribs
Pagets Disease
An inflammatory reaction in the sacroiliac joints which proceeds to complete bony fusion of these joints. If the spine is involved, the vertebral bodies are fused to each other. Advanced cases have a fixed gross kyphosis
Ankylosing Spondylitis
Soft inner part of the vertebral disk (nucleus pulposus) protudes through the fibrous outer layer of the disk. Occurs often between L4 to L5, often causes sciatica. Myelograms used to be the way to see this, now CT and MRI are modalities of choice
Herniated nucleus pulposus
“Swayback” - the lumbar curvature is exaggerated - may be caused by pregnancy, extreme obesity, poor posture, rickets or tuberculosis of the spine
Lordosis
Primary malignant neoplams that spread to distant sites via blood and lymphatic. Vertebrae may be a common site
Metastases
Destructive lesions with irregular margins
Osteolytic
Proliferative bony lesions of incresaed density
Osteoblastic
Fracture of spine by compression - wedge shaped appearance
Compression fracture
Caused from hyperflexion force, often the result of a seatbelt
Chance fracture
