title: The odontoid process in children--is it hypoplastic?
abstract: An analysis of the cervical spine of 508 normal children aged between 3 and 18.9 years provided data for the normal development of the odontoid process and its relationship to the anterior arch of the atlas. In normal children under the age of 9 years, the tip of the odontoid may fall well short of the upper margin of the anterior arch of the atlas. This has important implications for the assessment of atlanto-axial instability in children with Down's syndrome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, City Hospital, Nottingham.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Elliott
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001368:Axis, Cervical Vertebra / Q000254:growth & development*; D001270:Cervical Atlas / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009809:Odontoid Process / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000254:growth & development*; D011859:Radiography; D012016:Reference Values