Spine pain in children

Spine pain in children as an isolated symptom is infrequently seen in clinical practice. However, as opposed to spine pain in adults, it is accompanied by a relatively higher frequency of pathology. Diagnostic imaging is a necessary follow up to the physical examination and laboratory studies. Standard radiography is usually the initial imaging study. Frequently, however, additional imaging with bone scintigraphy, computed tomography, or magnetic resonance imaging is necessary to add sensitivity and specificity to the clinical presentation. We describe the disease entities, pathophysiology, and imaging characteristics of the varied pathologies responsible for spine pain in children.