Lumbar Posterior Apophyseal Ring Fracture Combined with Spondylolysis in Pediatric Athletes: A Report of Three Cases.

Case: Lumbar posterior apophyseal ring fracture is an uncommon finding in children, but lumbar spondylolysis is a common disorder. Both disorders are prevalent in young athletes. We describe 3 adolescent athletes who showed both lumbar spondylolysis and lumbar posterior apophyseal ring fracture. Because lumbar spondylolysis is comparatively easy to diagnose, a concurrent posterior lumbar apophyseal ring fracture is likely to be overlooked.

Conclusion: In patients with severe low back and radicular pain in whom spondylolysis is suspected, it is important to perform not only magnetic resonance imaging and radiography but also computed tomography for identifying posterior apophyseal ring fractures.