title: Retroisthmic cleft: a stress fracture of the lamina.
abstract: The retroisthmic cleft is a rarely diagnosed defect in the lamina of the lumbar spine. It has always been considered a congenital anomaly. This is the first report we are aware of showing radiological changes in a retroisthmic cleft over a period of time. The follow-up of this patient over a period of 6 years, the radiological and scintigraphic appearances and a review of the literature suggests that the retroisthmic cleft is a stress fracture of the lamina.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Diagnostic Radiology, University Hospital Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: L F
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Wick
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kaim
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bongartz
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015775:Fractures, Stress / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000293:injuries*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D011859:Radiography; D016103:Spinal Fractures / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon