Radiograph of lumbar spine vertebral burst fracture

Above are lumbar spine radiographs, including lateral (A) and AP (B) views, of a 37-year-old woman who jumped from a building in a suicide attempt. The radiographs show a burst fracture of L1 characterized by vertebral body height loss and radial outward displacement of the fracture fragments. Note the posterior retropulsion of a fracture fragment into the spinal canal (arrow). The posterior elements are splayed as reflected in the widening of the pedicles (arrowheads).