Persistent ossiculum terminale
Last revised by Jeremy Jones on 29 Sep 2021
Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data
Citation:
Gaillard F, Jones J, Baba Y, et al. Persistent ossiculum terminale. Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 08 Oct 2024) https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-1864
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rID:
1864
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Disclosures:
At the time the article was created Frank Gaillard had no recorded disclosures.
View Frank Gaillard's current disclosures
Last revised:
29 Sep 2021,
Jeremy Jones ◉
Disclosures:
At the time the article was last revised Jeremy Jones had no recorded disclosures.
View Jeremy Jones's current disclosures
Revisions:
16 times, by
10 contributors -
see full revision history and disclosures
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Synonyms:
- Bergman's ossicle
- Ossiculum terminale of Bergmann
- os terminale
The ossiculum terminale appears as a secondary ossification center of the dens between 3-6 years and normally fuses by 12 years. Failure of fusion results in a persistent ossiculum terminale (also called Bergmann's ossicle or ossiculum terminale of Bergmann) and is considered a normal anatomical variant of the axis.
It lies above the alar ligament and is therefore considered to be stable and it very rarely causes symptoms.
Radiographic features
- small, well-corticated ossicle at the tip of the dens
- usually in the midline
- dens is typically normal in height 4
Differential diagnosis
- os odontoideum
- type 1 odontoid fracture
References
- 1. Karwacki G & Schneider J. Normal Ossification Patterns of Atlas and Axis: A CT Study. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 2012;33(10):1882-7. doi:10.3174/ajnr.A3105 - Pubmed
- 2. Suchomel P, Choutka O. Reconstruction of Upper Cervical Spine and Craniovertebral Junction. Springer. ISBN:B008CLYMRG. Read it at Google Books - Find it at Amazon
- 3. Cramer GD, Darby SA. Basic and Clinical Anatomy of the Spine, Spinal Cord, and ANS. Mosby. ISBN:B005BQ4PEK. Read it at Google Books - Find it at Amazon
- 4. Smoker W. Craniovertebral Junction: Normal Anatomy, Craniometry, and Congenital Anomalies. Radiographics. 1994;14(2):255-77. doi:10.1148/radiographics.14.2.8190952 - Pubmed
- 5. Offiah C & Day E. The Craniocervical Junction: Embryology, Anatomy, Biomechanics and Imaging in Blunt Trauma. Insights Imaging. 2017;8(1):29-47. doi:10.1007/s13244-016-0530-5 - Pubmed
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