[Abnormalities of lumbar transverse processes]

The transverse processes of the lumbar vertebrae sometimes present rare abnormalities, or major abnormalities, which may be contrasted with congenital lesions concerning their volume, shape and direction. After a rapid review of the general and clinical characteristics, radiological analysis of the 59 cases collected in the literature and 6 personal cases, permits a provisional classification of the three varieties of lesion encountered. Apart from the rareness of cases known up to now, the interest of this study is to attract attention to the etiology which is still unknown, whether congenital or traumatic, and consequently, to the possible medico-legal consequences. Once again, as in other fields, the authors attract attention to the undoubted advantages of routine XRay of the lumbar spine and of the sacral area, one of which may be to discover the true etiology of the abnormalities encountered.