Intravertebral Vacuum Cleft
Home Up Location Diagnosis
Back Next

 

Atlas of Signs in Musculoskeletal Radiology is approved by the ARRS (American Roentgen Ray Society) and is included in AJR Webreview
A. Gentili,MD, M. Beller, MD, S. Masih, MD, L.L. Seeger, MD

Diagnosis:

Avascular Necrosis

Discussion:

Single frontal radiograph of the spine revealing a horizontally oriented linear area of lucency within the body of a single collapsed vertebral body. The intravertebral vacuum cleft sign is a gas-density cleft with a transverse separation of the vertebral body, appearing in extension and disappearing in flexion. It is secondary to local bony ischemic necrosis with nonhealing vertebral collapse. This ischemic vertebral fracture is not known to occur secondary to inflammation or neoplastic causes.


 - Click on the image for a larger version

References:

bulletMaldague BE, Noel HM, Malghem JJ: The intravertebral vacuum cleft: a sign of ischemic vertebral collapse. Radiology 1978 Oct;129(1):23-9.          [See related articles]
bulletBhalla S, Reinus WR: The linear intravertebral vacuum: a sign of benign vertebral collapse. AJR Am J Roentgenol 1998 Jun;170(6):1563-9.          [See related articles]

 

 

Google
 
Web Gentili.net


Atlas of Signs in Musculoskeletal Radiology is approved by the ARRS (American Roentgen Ray Society) and is included in AJR Webreview
A. Gentili,MD, M. Beller, MD, S. Masih, MD, L.L. Seeger, MD