Normal spinous process metaphyseal-equivalent lucency simulating infant abuse fractures

Abstract

We report a normal radiographic finding that may be mistaken for child abuse trauma in the posterior thoracolumbar spinous processes of young infants after the first week of life. A lucency paralleling the posterior margin of the ossified spinous process is equivalent to the metaphyseal lucent bands seen normally after about a week of the child’s age at the ends of long tubular bones. A similar lucency is seen just under the growth plate of vertebral bodies at that early age, giving the bone-in-bone appearance. Our index case was imaged at 3 weeks and then at 5 weeks of age, with no evidence of periosteal reaction or endosteal callus on that follow-up study, confirming the lack of fractures.