title: Traction osteophytes of the lumbar spine: radiographic-pathologic correlation.
abstract: Previous reports have emphasized two types of osteophytes on the anterior aspects of the lumbar vertebral bodies: the common claw osteophyte and the less common but more significant traction osteophyte, which is indicative of spinal instability. To delineate the importance of the traction osteophyte, a radiographic-pathologic study was conducted. The results indicate that claw osteophytes are more frequent than traction osteophytes, that both may coexist in a single vertebral body, and that, in most cases, these osteophytes appear to represent different stages of the same pathologic process.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Veterans Administration Medical Center, San Diego, CA 92161.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Pate
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Goobar
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Resnick
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Haghighi
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Sartoris
authors.forename: M N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Pathria
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D011859:Radiography; D013128:Spinal Osteophytosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology