Juan A Sanchis-Gimeno1, Esther Blanco-Perez2, Marcelino Perez-Bermejo3, Susanna Llido4, Shahed Nalla5. 1. Department of Anatomy and Human Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Valencia, Av. Blasco Ibanez 15, 46010, Valencia, Spain. juan.sanchis@uv.es. 2. Department of Radiology, University Hospital de La Ribera, Carretera Corbera km 1, Alzira, 46600, Valencia, Spain. 3. University San Vicente Martir, C/Espartero 7, 46007, Valencia, Spain. 4. Department of Anatomy and Human Embryology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Valencia, Av. Blasco Ibanez 15, 46010, Valencia, Spain. 5. Department of Human Anatomy and Physiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Johannesburg, Johannesburg, South Africa.
Abstract
PURPOSE: To analyze the prevalence of the retrotransverse foramen (RTF) and its bony variations. METHODS: One hundred ten atlases of living adult subjects, 161 twentieth century dry adult cervical atlases and four dry adult cervical atlases from medieval skeletons were studied to detect the RTF and its abnormal bony variations. The 110 living adult subjects underwent a computed tomography study to detect the RTF. RESULTS: In the in vivo sample (n = 110; 100%), the RTF was found in four (3.6%) atlases. It was bilateral in all cases, but three (2.7%) patients showed complete RTF and the other patient presented a complete RTF in the left transverse process and an unclosed RTF in the right transverse process. In addition, the RTF was observed in combination with an unclosed transverse foramen in two cases (1.8%). In the twentieth century skeletal sample (n = 206; 100%) the RTF was found in 15 (7.3%) C1 vertebrae. It was bilateral in three (1.5%) vertebrae and unilateral in another 12 (5.8%) vertebrae. In the medieval skeletal sample (n = 4; 100%) one cadaveric atlas (25%) presented a bilateral RTF with special bony characteristics which presented an unexpected spicula in the left RTF. CONCLUSIONS: The RTF is a nonmetric variant of the atlas vertebra that can present non-degenerative and non-traumatic spiculae or it can be unclosed. In addition, it can be associated with the presence of unclosed transverse foramina.
PURPOSE: To analyze the prevalence of the retrotransverse foramen (RTF) and its bony variations. METHODS: One hundred ten atlases of living adult subjects, 161 twentieth century dry adult cervical atlases and four dry adult cervical atlases from medieval skeletons were studied to detect the RTF and its abnormal bony variations. The 110 living adult subjects underwent a computed tomography study to detect the RTF. RESULTS: In the in vivo sample (n = 110; 100%), the RTF was found in four (3.6%) atlases. It was bilateral in all cases, but three (2.7%) patients showed complete RTF and the other patient presented a complete RTF in the left transverse process and an unclosed RTF in the right transverse process. In addition, the RTF was observed in combination with an unclosed transverse foramen in two cases (1.8%). In the twentieth century skeletal sample (n = 206; 100%) the RTF was found in 15 (7.3%) C1 vertebrae. It was bilateral in three (1.5%) vertebrae and unilateral in another 12 (5.8%) vertebrae. In the medieval skeletal sample (n = 4; 100%) one cadaveric atlas (25%) presented a bilateral RTF with special bony characteristics which presented an unexpected spicula in the left RTF. CONCLUSIONS: The RTF is a nonmetric variant of the atlas vertebra that can present non-degenerative and non-traumatic spiculae or it can be unclosed. In addition, it can be associated with the presence of unclosed transverse foramina.
Authors: Parita K Chitroda; Girish Katti; Irfan A Baba; Mohammad Najmudin; Sreenivas Rao Ghali; Bhuvaneshwari Kalmath; Vijay G Journal: J Clin Diagn Res Date: 2013-12-15
Authors: Carlos A Palancar; Daniel García-Martínez; Davorka Radovčić; Susanna Llidó; Federico Mata-Escolano; Markus Bastir; Juan Alberto Sanchis-Gimeno Journal: J Anat Date: 2020-05-21 Impact factor: 2.921