Posterior scalloping of vertebral bodies

What it means

An excessive concavity of the posterior surface of one or more vertebral bodies.

The posterior vertebral scalloping sign appears on a lateral radiograph of the spine as an exaggeration of the normal concavity of the posterior surface of one or more vertebral bodies. Neurofibromatosis may be associated with marked scalloping of the posterior borders of the vertebral bodies resulting from intraspinal tumors.

Rare diseases that can present with this1

The range is how often this sign appears among people diagnosed with each disease — it is not a probability of having any of them. Many of these signs also occur in common, non-rare conditions. A sign on this page is a conversation to have with a clinician, not a conclusion.

Part of the broader category

Also called: Posterior vertebral body scalloping