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Os odontoideum in identical twins: perspectives on etiology

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Abstract

Most authorities favor the hypothesis of an acquired etiology of os odontoideum. We present the cases of identical twin sisters with os odontoideum in association with a congenital partial fusion of the posterior elements of the second and third cervical vertebrae, and discuss the implications. We believe that this is the first report of familial os odontoideum in a context which suggests a genetic etiology.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiological Sciences, UCLA School of Medicine, Center for the Health Sciences, Los Angeles, California, USA

    Konrad A. Kirlew M.D., Gasser M. Hathout M.D. & Richard H. Gold M.D.

  2. Department of Emergency Medicine, UCLA School of Medicine, Los Angeles, California, USA

    Scott D. Reiter M.D.

Authors
  1. Konrad A. Kirlew M.D.
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  2. Gasser M. Hathout M.D.
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  3. Scott D. Reiter M.D.
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  4. Richard H. Gold M.D.
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Kirlew, K.A., Hathout, G.M., Reiter, S.D. et al. Os odontoideum in identical twins: perspectives on etiology. Skeletal Radiol. 22, 525–527 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00209102

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