title: Split cord malformation and situs inversus totalis: case report and review of the literature.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Situs inversus is a rare condition of visceral transposition in which the spinal axis is rarely affected.
  
  
  METHODS
  The authors report a patient with situs inversus totalis and Type II split cord malformation. The patient had no symptoms and presented with scoliosis.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Recent compelling evidence from animal models and human case reports has lead to hypotheses that defects of the midline and laterality defects (e.g., situs inversus) are etiologically related. Confirmation from additional case reports of situs inversus and split cord malformation could prove useful in determining a genetic locus for split cord malformations or implicating various chemical agents that are known to produce situs inversus as potential causative factors in the production of split cord malformations.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cell Biology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, Alabama, USA. richard.tubbs@ccc.uab.edu
authors.forename: R Shane
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Tubbs
authors.forename: John C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Wellons
authors.forename: W Jerry
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Oakes
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic / Q000379:methods; D012196:Review Literature as Topic; D012857:Situs Inversus / Q000473:pathology*; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000473:pathology; D013118:Spinal Cord Diseases / Q000473:pathology*; D013909:Thorax / Q000473:pathology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods