Accessory articulation of elongated anterior transverse process: a rare anatomical variant of the cervical spine depicted with CT and post-processing techniques

A Previously Unreported Variant of a Thoracic Vertebra

“…In all these case reports, there was no conclusive evidence to attribute the anomalies with the symptomatology of the patients. The findings of the enlarged transverse process were attributed as incidental findings on radiology [3][4][5]. However, in the case report involving the anomaly in the lumbar spine, they did find an association between the patient's symptoms and an enlarged transverse process [6].…”

“…Upon further review of the case reports concerning enlargement of the transverse process of the cervical vertebrae, which is hypothesized to be a form of supernumerary cervical ribs developing at a level above the lowest cervical vertebra, all the patients presented with different neurological complaints ranging from neck pain to numbness and tingling [3][4][5]. In all these case reports, there was no conclusive evidence to attribute the anomalies with the symptomatology of the patients.…”

“…Bergman, et al state in their Illustrated Encyclopedia of Human Anatomic Variation, "the transverse process of the seventh vertebra may be bifid [2]," which is the only anatomic variant regarding such that is referenced. Another variation, documented by a few authors but still very rare, is elongation of the anterior part of the transverse process in the cervical spine [3][4][5]. According to the case reports, the transverse process anomaly presents as a bony projection anterior to the vertebral body found on imaging of the spine.…”

Accessory articulation of the transverse processes in the cervical spine

“…First described in 1960, this congenital variant is caused by the connection of protuberances extending between the anterior tubercles of the transverse processes of adjacent vertebrae [1] . Our literature search revealed six prior descriptions of such accessory articulations occurring between the C5 and C6 levels [2] , [3] , [4] , [5] , [6] , [7] . However, there have been only two previously reported cases of accessory articulations between the C6 and C7 levels [ 7 , 8 ].…”

Accessory Articulation of the Cervical Transverse Process: A Very Rare Anatomic Variant

“…Elongation of the anterior tubercle was first described by Lapayowker [1] in 1960. We found only four previous cases of an accessory articulation between these elongated anterior tubercles in the English literature [2345], all of them at the C5–C6 level. We hereby report the first case ever described at the C6–C7 level.…”