Anatomy & Cell Biology  2017;50(2):155-158

doi:10.5115/acb.2017.50.2.155

Supernumerary lumbar ribs: a rare occurrence on an adult African male skeleton.

Samson CHENGETANAI 1 ; Elsie K NCHABELENG ; Nicholas BACCI ; Brendon K BILLINGS ; Pedzisai MAZENGENYA

Affiliations

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Keywords

Supernumerary lumbar rib; Fracture; Transverse process; Renal angle; Lumbar vertebra

Country

Republic of Korea

Language

English

Abstract

Supernumerary lumbar ribs are usually asymptomatic and discovered incidentally during routine diagnostic radiography. During a routine inventory of the research skeletal repository at the University of the Witwatersrand, a rare case of bilateral supernumerary ribs on the first lumbar vertebra was observed. The skeletal specimen belonged to a 70-year-old African male whose recorded cause of death was esophageal carcinoma. Plain radiography revealed bilateral joint cavities between the transverse processes of the first lumbar vertebra and the supernumerary ribs. Clinically, supernumerary lumbar ribs may present with pain of the renal angle, cause confusion during enumeration of the vertebral levels on radiographs, and may be misinterpreted as fractures, kissing osteophytes, and/or calcification of abdominal vasculature.