POSTERIOR VERTEBRAL RIM FRACTURES

Fracture of the posterior vertebral endplate is a cause of low back pa in in adolescents and young adults. Clinically it resembles an acute d isc prolapse with low back pain and radiculopathy, but may present wit h neurogenic claudication due to spinal stenosis in older patients. Th e lesions may be incidental findings. Plain radiographs are diagnostic in about 40% of cases. CT shows the fracture fragment and vertebral d efect in most cases but the fracture fragment may be overlooked on MRI . Accurate diagnosis is essential as the surgical technique for disc h erniation is inadequate for endplate fractures. In this pictorial essa y we review the imaging findings.