Codfish vertebra

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Codfish vertebra refers to the biconcave appearance of the vertebra in sagittal radiographs due to pathological changes, such as demineralisation. [1] [2] [3] Codfish appearance of the vertebra is seen in several conditions such as Osteoporosis, Osteomalacia, steroid or heparin therapy, Cushing syndrome, idiopathic, sickle cell disease, leukemia, Duchenne muscular dystrophy, and homo-cystinuria. [4] Codfish vertebra sign is usually first seen in lumbar vertebrae. [5]

The name of this condition refers to shape of the centrum, or main vertebral body, of the vertebrae in bony fishes. In contrast to mammals such as humans, fish vertebrae are typically concave at both the anterior and posterior faces (amphicoelous).

References

  1. Ntagiopoulos, P G; Moutzouris, D‐A; Manetas, S (September 2007). "The "fish‐vertebra" sign". Emergency Medicine Journal. 24 (9): 674–675. doi:10.1136/emj.2006.039131. ISSN   1472-0205. PMC   2464635 . PMID   17711958.
  2. "Biconcave vertebral bodies". www.ebi.ac.uk.
  3. Rexroad, Jason T.; Moser, Richard P.; Georgia, Jeffrey D. (1 September 2003). ""Fish" or "Fish Mouth" Vertebrae?". American Journal of Roentgenology. 181 (3): 886–887. doi:10.2214/ajr.181.3.1810886b. ISSN   0361-803X. PMID   12933500 . Retrieved 6 September 2021.
  4. Van Rijn, Rick R; Blickman, Johan G, eds. (2011). "The Pediatric Vertebral Column: Anomalies of Vertebral Body Shape and Size". Differential Diagnosis in Pediatric Imaging (2011 ed.). Thieme Verlag. doi:10.1055/b-0034-87913. ISBN   978-3-13-143711-2.
  5. Themes, U. F. O. (12 July 2020). "The Pediatric Vertebral Column: Anomalies of Vertebral Body Shape and Size". Radiology Key. Retrieved 6 September 2021.