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Published on: January 5, 2015
A duplicated spinous process of the C7 vertebra
Srijit Das1, Rajesh Suri, Vijay Kapur
1Department of Anatomy, Maulana Azad Medical College, Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg, New Delhi, India. das_srijit23@rediffmail.com
This study reports an extremely rare duplicated spinous process in the 7th cervical vertebra (C7), a feature typically seen in other cervical vertebrae. This anatomical anomaly may indicate other congenital issues, requiring careful clinical evaluation.
Area of Science:
- Anatomy
- Radiology
- Anthropology
Background:
- The 7th cervical vertebra (C7) typically presents with a long, non-bifid spinous process.
- Cervical vertebrae C3-C6 commonly exhibit bifid spinous processes.
- Previous research has focused on bifid spines in C3-C6, not C7.
Observation:
- This case report details an exceptionally rare instance of a duplicated spinous process in the C7 vertebra.
- The duplicated spinous process in the observed C7 vertebra featured an intervening space.
- Both anatomical and radiological details of the duplicated C7 spinous process were documented.
Findings:
- The study identified a duplicated spinous process in the C7 vertebra, deviating from its typical morphology.
- This finding highlights a rare anatomical variation in the human cervical spine.
- The presence of this anomaly was confirmed through examination of a bone specimen and radiological imaging.
Implications:
- Duplicated spinous processes in C7 may be associated with other congenital anomalies.
- This rare finding necessitates a thorough clinical approach for affected individuals.
- The discovery is of significant interest to radiologists, neurologists, orthopaedic surgeons, anthropologists, and forensic experts.
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