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Updated: Jun 24, 2026

Intraoperative Ultrasound in Spinal Surgery
Published on: August 17, 2022
Cervical vertebra plana secondary to Ewing sarcoma: A case report
Richie Zhang1, Mason C Vaillancourt2, Theodore S Donta2
1Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine, 375 Newton Road, Iowa City, IA.
None:
Vertebra plana is most commonly associated with Langerhans cell histiocytosis in the pediatric population. However, in extremely rare cases, Ewing sarcoma can also present as vertebra plana in this population. Langerhans cell histiocytosis can present as a single system or multiple system disease without malignant potential, whereas Ewing sarcoma is a highly malignant tumor. Therefore, it is important to establish the correct diagnosis. Here, we present the case of a 5-year-old female with Ewing sarcoma presenting as cervical vertebra plana. To our knowledge, this is the third reported case in the literature of cervical vertebra plana secondary to Ewing sarcoma. This case emphasizes the importance of biopsy in cases of pediatric vertebra plana.

