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Related Experiment Videos

Air in the cervical annulus--the lucent cleft sign.

S L Lam1, W Y Cheong, K P Tan

  • 1Department of Radiology, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, Singapore.

Singapore Medical Journal
|August 1, 1991
PubMed
Summary

The lucent cleft sign, indicating soft tissue injury, is a transient radiographic finding often associated with spinal trauma. It can appear in both cervical and lumbar regions, aiding in diagnosing injuries when other signs are absent.

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Area of Science:

  • Radiology
  • Orthopedics
  • Spinal Imaging

Background:

  • The lucent cleft sign was initially described for acute cervical injuries.
  • It is not exclusive to trauma or the cervical spine, appearing in degenerative conditions and the lumbar spine.
  • The sign represents a partial tear of the annulus fibrosus.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To report on the experience with 15 patients presenting the lucent cleft sign.
  • To highlight the clinical relevance and presentation of the lucent cleft sign.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective review of 15 patients with the lucent cleft sign.
  • Analysis of patient demographics, clinical history, and radiographic findings.

Main Results:

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  • The lucent cleft sign was observed in a relatively young patient group (30-35 years).
  • Acute trauma was the history in the majority of patients (10/15).
  • The sign was also found in patients with non-specific aches and as an incidental finding.

Conclusions:

  • The lucent cleft sign is a transient indicator of soft tissue injury, particularly annulus fibrosus tears.
  • It can be the sole radiographic sign in cases of spinal trauma.
  • The sign is expected to resolve with healing.