Shape change in the atlas with congenital midline non-union of its posterior arch: a morphometric geometric study.

Background Context The congenital midline non-union of the posterior arch of the atlas is a developmental variant present at a frequency ranging from 0.7% to 3.9%. Most of the reported cases correspond to incidental findings during routine medical examination. In cases of posterior non-union, hypertrophy of the anterior arch and cortical bone thickening of the posterior arches have been observed and interpreted as adaptive responses of the atlas to increased mechanical stress. Purpose We sought to determine if the congenital non-union of the posterior arch results in a change in the shape of the atlas. Study Design/Setting This study is an analysis of the first cervical vertebrae from osteo…