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. 1988 Jul;39(4):391-3.
doi: 10.1016/s0009-9260(88)80278-2.

The odontoid process in children--is it hypoplastic?

S Elliott  1
Affiliations

The odontoid process in children--is it hypoplastic?

S Elliott. Clin Radiol. 1988 Jul.

Abstract

An analysis of the cervical spine of 508 normal children aged between 3 and 18.9 years provided data for the normal development of the odontoid process and its relationship to the anterior arch of the atlas. In normal children under the age of 9 years, the tip of the odontoid may fall well short of the upper margin of the anterior arch of the atlas. This has important implications for the assessment of atlanto-axial instability in children with Down's syndrome.

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