Non-marginal osteophyte

Case contributed by Mark Holland
Diagnosis certain

Presentation

Referred by GP with right loin pain and known reactive arthritis

Patient Data

Age: 30 years
Gender: Male
x-ray

IVU unremarkable with incidental non-marginal osteophytosis

Case Discussion

Non-marginal osteophytes are a horizontal or vertical osteophyte of the vertebral body observed 2 to 3 mm away from the actual vertebral end-plate.

Small ones are associated with degenerative disc disease and spondylosis deformans. These are called traction osteophytes and are believed to indicate an element of instability in the spine.

A non-marginal osteophyte may fuse with a non-marginal or marginal osteophyte from an adjacent vertebral body.

Larger non-marginal osteophytes (sometimes called non-marginal syndesmophytes) are seen in seronegative arthropathies e.g. psoriatic arthritis and reactive arthritis.

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