Vertebra plana
Last revised by Tariq Walizai
on 21 Aug 2024
Citation, DOI, disclosures and article data
Citation:
Skorupka K, Walizai T, Knipe H, et al. Vertebra plana. Reference article, Radiopaedia.org (Accessed on 24 Mar 2025) https://doi.org/10.53347/rID-7428
Permalink:
rID:
7428
Article created:
1 Nov 2009,
Katarzyna Skorupka
Disclosures:
At the time the article was created Katarzyna Skorupka had no recorded disclosures.
View Katarzyna Skorupka's current disclosures
Last revised:
21 Aug 2024,
Tariq Walizai
Disclosures:
At the time the article was last revised Tariq Walizai had no financial relationships to ineligible companies to disclose.
View Tariq Walizai's current disclosures
Revisions:
29 times, by
21 contributors -
see full revision history and disclosures
Systems:
Sections:
Synonyms:
- Silver dollar sign
- Pancake vertebra
- Coin-on-edge sign
- Coin-on-edge vertebra
- Silver dollar vertebra
Vertebra plana (plural: vertebrae planae), also known as the pancake, silver dollar or coin-on-edge vertebra, is the term given when a vertebral body has lost almost its entire height anteriorly and posteriorly, representing a very advanced compression fracture.
Pathology
It can occur in a variety of settings, including:
-
Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH)
most common cause of vertebra plana in children
-
most common primary paediatric malignancy
loss of vertebral height and increased sclerosis are common in the vertebral body
-
B-symptoms and multiple levels involvement unlike LCH, which commonly involves a single level
-
bacterial infection commonly causes disc destruction and vertebral
body endplate erosionsspinal tuberculosis spondylitis commonly causes bone destruction with somewhat relative disc preservation, which can cause vertebra plana, however, some form of vertebral endplate change is usually present
chronic recurrent multifocal osteomyelitis: rare cause in children 3
In paediatric population, vertebra plana is generally due to:
There are a number of mnemonics for the causes of vertebra plana.
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See also
platyspondyly: flattened vertebral bodies throughout the entire skeleton
References
- 1. Roche C, O'Keeffe D, Lee W, Duddalwar V, Torreggiani W, Curtis J. Selections from the Buffet of Food Signs in Radiology. Radiographics. 2002;22(6):1369-84. doi:10.1148/rg.226025521 - Pubmed
- 2. Moorthy S & Prabhu N. Spectrum of MR Imaging Findings in Spinal Tuberculosis. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 2002;179(4):979-83. doi:10.2214/ajr.179.4.1790979 - Pubmed
- 3. Khanna G, Sato T, Ferguson P. Imaging of Chronic Recurrent Multifocal Osteomyelitis. Radiographics. 2009;29(4):1159-77. doi:10.1148/rg.294085244
Incoming Links
Articles:
- Gibbus deformity
- Tuberculous spondylitis
- Pancake brain
- Vertebral body mass
- Food inspired signs
- Vertebra plana (mnemonic)
- Leukaemia (musculoskeletal involvement)
- Osteoporosis
- Spinal fractures
- Vegetable and plant inspired signs
- Platyspondyly
- Pancake organ (disambiguation)
- Langerhans cell histiocytosis (skeletal manifestations)
- Multiple myeloma
Cases:
- Vertebra plana
- Vertebra plana
- Vertebra plana
- Sister Mary Joseph nodule
- Langerhans cell histiocytosis - vertebra plana
- Vertebra plana - in a child
- Vertebra plana
- Langerhans cell histiocytosis
- Senile osteoporosis
- Pott disease
- Langerhans cell histiocytosis with vertebra plana
- Langerhans cell histiocytosis
- Osteogenesis imperfecta
- Multiple myeloma - spine
- Vertebra plana
- Eosinophilic granuloma - spine
- Vertebral lymphoma
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carpal bones
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hip
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femoral neck fracture
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trochanteric fracture
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