Six lumbar type vertebrae

Case contributed by Egidio Cespedes
Diagnosis certain

Presentation

Low back pain of 3 months of evolution

Patient Data

Age: 35 years
Gender: Female
mri

As an anatomical variation, the presence of 6 lumbar vertebral bodies is identified.

x-ray

The right hip is 6 mm above the level of the contralateral hip.

Case Discussion

It's easy to go wrong and misnumber the vertebrae on an MRI. This patient also had a total spine study that allowed orientation.
Note the costo-vertebral articulation of T12 visible mainly in sagittal view.
Numbering errors can later affect spinal surgeries.

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