Transitional lumbrosacral vertebra - lumbarized S1

Case contributed by Antonio Calvo Castro
Diagnosis certain

Presentation

Presenting to the Emergency Department with a history of lower back pain for one week; the pain appeared while doing playing basketball. No previous medical history. On examination tender over midline lumbar spine between L3-S1 without any neurological signs. No asymmetry of the spine.

Patient Data

Age: 17 years
Gender: Female

There is a 6th lumbar-type vertebra without other abnormality.

Case Discussion

About 10% of adults have a congenital form of spinal abnormality, the most common being an L6 vertebra, also known as lumbosacral transitional vertebra. It can be the cause of low back pain in these individuals.

Lumbrosacral transition vertebra have been classified by Castellvi et al. into four types based on the morphology of the vertebral transverse process.

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