Spondylolysis

What it means

Spondylolysis is an osseous defect of the pars interarticularis, thought to be a developmental or acquired stress fracture secondary to chronic low-grade trauma.

The pars interarticularis is one of the bony bridges that connect the upper with the lower facet joints of the vertebra. Lumbar spondylolysis is a common cause of lower back pain. The vast majority of cases of spondylolysis occur at the L5 or L4 levels, and is usually diagnosed radiographically. Over half of patients affected by spondylolysis have associated spondylolisthesis.

Rare diseases that can present with this3

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