Ghost vertebra

Last revised by Daniel J Bell on 16 Dec 2021

Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data

Citation:

Pant H, Setia R, Weerakkody Y, et al. Ghost vertebra. Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 19 Apr 2024) https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-31518

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-31518

Permalink:

https://radiopaedia.org/articles/31518

rID:

31518

Article created:

15 Oct 2014, Hom Prasad Pant

Disclosures:

At the time the article was created Hom Prasad Pant had no recorded disclosures.

View Hom Prasad Pant's current disclosures

Last revised:

16 Dec 2021, Daniel J Bell ◉

Disclosures:

At the time the article was last revised Daniel J Bell had no recorded disclosures.

View Daniel J Bell's current disclosures

Revisions:

6 times, by 5 contributors - see full revision history and disclosures

Systems:

Musculoskeletal, Paediatrics, Spine

Sections:

Signs

Tags:

osteopenia, osteoporosis

Synonyms:

Ghost vertebrae
Ghost vertebral bodes
Bone-within-a-bone vertebra

Ghost vertebra is a sign, that is generally used synonymously with bone-within-a-bone vertebra, and as such, the causes form a subset of those causing bone within a bone appearance ²:

Thorotrast administration: bone within a bone appearance due to temporary growth arrest ¹
stress line
rickets
leukemia
scurvy
heavy metal poisoning
hypothyroidism
hypoparathyroidism

The term ghost vertebra, has also been used, albeit less commonly as an alternative to picture frame vertebral body, i.e. a vertebra affected by severe osteopenia: such a marked loss of trabecular pattern that the vertebra has a similar density to soft tissue ³