Castellvi classification of lumbosacral transitional vertebrae

Last revised by Nico Behnke on 15 Aug 2024

Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data

Citation:

Goel A, Behnke N, Vadera S, et al. Castellvi classification of lumbosacral transitional vertebrae. Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 02 Mar 2025) https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-24141

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-24141

Permalink:

https://radiopaedia.org/articles/24141

rID:

24141

Article created:

29 Jul 2013, Ayush Goel

Disclosures:

At the time the article was created Ayush Goel had no recorded disclosures.

View Ayush Goel's current disclosures

Last revised:

15 Aug 2024, Nico Behnke

Disclosures:

At the time the article was last revised Nico Behnke had no financial relationships to ineligible companies to disclose.

View Nico Behnke's current disclosures

Revisions:

36 times, by 19 contributors - see full revision history and disclosures

Systems:

Musculoskeletal, Spine

Sections:

Classifications

Tags:

refs, cases, spine, variant

Synonyms:

Castellvi classification
Castellvi's classification
Lumbosacral transitional vertebra (Castellvi classification)

The Castellvi classification is used for lumbosacral transitional vertebra (LSTV):

type I: enlarged and dysplastic transverse process (at least 19 mm)
- Ia: unilateral
- Ib: bilateral
type II: pseudoarticulation of the transverse process and sacrum with incomplete lumbarization/sacralization; enlargement of the transverse process with pseudoarthrosis
- IIa: unilateral
- IIb: bilateral
type III: transverse process fuses with the sacrum and there is complete lumbarization or sacralization, enlarged transverse process with complete fusion
- IIIa: unilateral
- IIIb: bilateral
type IV: type IIa on one side and type IIIa on the contralateral side

History and etymology

This classification system was initially described by Castellvi et al in 1984, in a study examining the association of lumbosacral transitional vertebrae with herniated lumbar discs ³.