TY - JOUR
T1 - Congenital defects of the posterior arch of the atlas
T2 - A report of seven cases including an affected mother and son
AU - Currarino, G.
AU - Rollins, N.
AU - Diehl, J. T.
PY - 1994
Y1 - 1994
N2 - PURPOSE: To describe our experience with congenital anomalies of the posterior arch of the atlas, with a review and classification of these defects and a note on their clinical significance. METHODS: We report six children and one adult, the mother of one of the children, with an anomalous posterior arch of the atlas. The diagnosis was made on lateral films of the neck. Three patients also had axial CT of the cervical spine. RESULTS: The anomalies encountered in the seven patients were absence of the posterior arch of the atlas (four patients), bilateral clefts (two patients), and unilateral cleft (one patient). In three patients the anomaly was discovered as an incidental asymptomatic finding; three other patients presented with transient neck pain or transient neurologic symptoms after head and neck trauma, and one patient (an adult woman) described neck symptoms of 1-year duration. CONCLUSIONS: On the basis of these seven cases we conclude that congenital defects of the posterior arch of the atlas may be discovered as incidental asymptomatic findings, but symptoms occurring after trauma to the head and neck or spontaneously also may be encountered.
AB - PURPOSE: To describe our experience with congenital anomalies of the posterior arch of the atlas, with a review and classification of these defects and a note on their clinical significance. METHODS: We report six children and one adult, the mother of one of the children, with an anomalous posterior arch of the atlas. The diagnosis was made on lateral films of the neck. Three patients also had axial CT of the cervical spine. RESULTS: The anomalies encountered in the seven patients were absence of the posterior arch of the atlas (four patients), bilateral clefts (two patients), and unilateral cleft (one patient). In three patients the anomaly was discovered as an incidental asymptomatic finding; three other patients presented with transient neck pain or transient neurologic symptoms after head and neck trauma, and one patient (an adult woman) described neck symptoms of 1-year duration. CONCLUSIONS: On the basis of these seven cases we conclude that congenital defects of the posterior arch of the atlas may be discovered as incidental asymptomatic findings, but symptoms occurring after trauma to the head and neck or spontaneously also may be encountered.
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M3 - Article
C2 - 8192068
AN - SCOPUS:0028272978
SN - 0195-6108
VL - 15
SP - 249
EP - 254
JO - American Journal of Neuroradiology
JF - American Journal of Neuroradiology
IS - 2
ER -