Oppenheimer Ossicle
Description
Name
- Oppenheimer Ossicle
General
- Accessory ossicle associated with the facet joints of the spine, typically lumbar
- Seen in approximately 4% of patients[2]
- Typically occur as single, unilateral ossicle at the inferior articular process
- Less commonly, they occur at the superior articular process
- One of the accessory bones of the spine
Radiographic Features
- Been seen on sagittal CT and MR imaging
- Most commonly seen at L2, L3 spinal levels[3]
- Appearance is smooth, well corticated structures that are sometimes lined by articular cartilage
- They may be associated with other vertebral arch malformations
Etiology
- Thought to arise as a result of non-union of the articular process secondary ossification center
- Ossicles normally fuse between age 17 and 25
History/Etymology
- First described by radiologist Albert Oppenheimer[4]
Clinical Significance
- Typically, incidental/ asymptomatic
See Also
References
- ↑ Case courtesy of Ammar Haouimi, Radiopaedia.org, rID: 147340
- ↑ Terry R. Yochum, Lindsay J. Rowe. Essentials of Skeletal Radiology. (2005) ISBN: 9780781739467
- ↑ Pushpa B, Aiyer S, Kannan M, Maheswaran A, Rajasekaran S. Oppenheimer's Ossicles in the Lumbar Spine-A Rare Cause of Lumbar Canal Stenosis. J Orthop. 2018;15(2):343-4.
- ↑ Oppenheimer A. Supernumerary Ossicle at the Isthmus of the Neural Arch. Radiology. 1942;39(1):98-100. doi:10.1148/39.1.98