"Cupid's bow" contour of the lumbar vertebral endplates detected by computed tomography

A characteristic pattern of altered lumbar spine endplate morphology has been frequently noted in patients being evaluated for unrelated indications. The "owl's eyes" configuration of intravertebral disc material on axial transverse computed tomographic sections easily distinguishes this normal variant from pathologic processes. Two representative cases are provided for illustration, one of which on coronal reformations demonstrated the normal "Cupid's bow" contour previously described on frontal plain radiographs.