The prevalence and clinical significance of transitional vertebrae: a radiologic investigation using whole spine spiral three-dimensional computed tomographic images.

Background: Errors in counting spinal segments are common during interventional procedures when there are transitional vertebrae. In this study, we investigated the prevalence of the transitional vertebrae including thoracolumbar transitional vertebra (TLTV) and lumbosacral transitional vertebrae (LSTV). The relationship between the existence of TLTV and abnormal rib count or the existence of LSTV were also evaluated.