General Considerations for the Lumbar Spine
- As with the thoracic spine, do not forget to identify the pedicles, spinous processes and carefully examine
the sacrum. Be careful not to miss a rib fracture in the corner of the image.
- Similar injuries occur in the lumbar spine as in the thoracic spine. However, one should be even more
vigilant here because about 2/3 of injuries occur in T12 to L2.
- Seat belt injuries may cause transverse fractures of the vertebral bodies involving the posterior elements
as well. This type of a shearing injury is most common at L1-3 and termed a Chance fracture.
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