Vertebral clefting

What it means

Schisis (cleft or cleavage) of vertebral bodies.

Cleft vertebrae result when there are two, instead of one, primary ossification centers in a vertebral body. An unossified cartilaginous brdige may be observed radiographically with the shape of a cleft. If the two ossification centers are ventral/dorsal, a coronal cleft is observed, and if the two ossification centers are left/right, than a sagittal cleft is observed.

Rare diseases that can present with this2

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: Vertebral clefts