Winking owl sign (spine)
Disclosures
- updated 19 Aug 2022:
Nothing to disclose
Updates to Article Attributes
Body
was changed:
The (absent) pedicle sign, also called the winking owl sign, occurs on plain radiograph of the spine when a pedicle is absent 5.
The term, winking owl sign, where the missing pedicle corresponds to the closed eye, the contralateral pedicle to the other round open eye, and the spinous process to the beak of the owl on AP views of the thoracic or lumbar spine 1,2.
Pathology
Aetiology
There is a wide aetiology 3,4:
- destroyed pedicle
- spinal metastases
- intraspinal malignancies
- tuberculosis and other infections
- uncommon: primary bone lesion; lymphoma
- congenital absence/hypoplasia of a pedicle
- neurofibromatosis
- poorly-visualised
- radiation therapy
-<p>The (<strong>absent</strong>)<strong> pedicle sign</strong>, also called the<strong> winking owl sign</strong>, occurs on plain radiograph of the spine when a pedicle is absent <sup>5</sup>.</p><p>The term, winking owl sign, where the missing pedicle corresponds to the closed eye, the contralateral pedicle to the other round open eye, and the spinous process to the beak of the owl on AP views of the thoracic or lumbar spine <sup>1,2</sup>.</p><h4>Pathology</h4><h5>Aetiology</h5><p>There is a wide aetiology <sup>3,4</sup>:</p><ul>-<li>destroyed pedicle<ul>-<li><a href="/articles/spinal-metastases">spinal metastases</a></li>-<li>intraspinal malignancies</li>-<li>-<a href="/articles/tuberculosis">tuberculosis</a> and other infections</li>-<li>uncommon: primary bone lesion; lymphoma</li>-</ul>-</li>-<li><a href="/articles/congenital-absence-of-a-spine-pedicle">congenital absence/hypoplasia of a pedicle</a></li>-<li><a href="/articles/neurofibromatosis">neurofibromatosis</a></li>-<li>poorly-visualised</li>-<li>radiation therapy</li>- +<p>The (<strong>absent</strong>)<strong> pedicle sign</strong>, also called the<strong> winking owl sign</strong>, occurs on plain radiograph of the spine when a pedicle is absent <sup>5</sup>.</p><p>The term, winking owl sign, where the missing pedicle corresponds to the closed eye, the contralateral pedicle to the other round open eye, and the spinous process to the beak of the owl on AP views of the thoracic or lumbar spine <sup>1,2</sup>.</p><h4>Pathology</h4><h5>Aetiology</h5><p>There is a wide aetiology <sup>3,4</sup>:</p><ul>
- +<li>destroyed pedicle<ul>
- +<li><a href="/articles/spinal-metastases">spinal metastases</a></li>
- +<li>intraspinal malignancies</li>
- +<li>
- +<a href="/articles/tuberculosis">tuberculosis</a> and other infections</li>
- +<li>uncommon: primary bone lesion; lymphoma</li>
- +</ul>
- +</li>
- +<li><a href="/articles/congenital-absence-of-a-spine-pedicle">congenital absence/hypoplasia of a pedicle</a></li>
- +<li><a href="/articles/neurofibromatosis">neurofibromatosis</a></li>
- +<li>poorly-visualised</li>
- +<li>radiation therapy</li>
Images Changes:
Image 2 X-ray (Frontal) ( update )
Caption
was changed:
Case 41: absent left L1 pedicle
Position
was set to
.
Image 3 X-ray (Frontal) ( update )
Caption
was changed:
Case 32: absent left L2 pedicle
Position
was set to
.
Image 4 X-ray (Frontal) ( update )
Caption
was changed:
Case 23: absent left T11 pedicle
Position
was set to
.
Image 5 X-ray (Frontal) ( update )
Caption
was changed:
Case 64: absent left L4 pedicle
Position
was set to
.
Image 6 X-ray (Inverted and annotated) ( update )
Caption
was changed:
Case 5: congenitalabsent left L3 pedicle (congenital)
Image 7 X-ray ( update )
Caption
was changed:
Case 96: absent right side of T12T12 pedicle
Position
was set to
.
Image 8 X-ray (Frontal) ( update )
Caption
was changed:
Case 87: absent right L1 pedicle
Position
was set to
.
Image 9 X-ray (Frontal) ( update )
Caption
was changed:
Case 18: absent right L4 pedicle
Position
was set to
.
Image 10 X-ray (Frontal) ( update )
Caption
was changed:
Case 79: absent right L1 pedicle
Position
was set to
.
Unable to process the form. Check for errors and try again.