Trident acetabulum

Trident acetabulum is an appearance which can be seen in several skeletal dysplasias .

It is characterized by small bony spurs at the medial and lateral acetabular margins with a more subtle central spur, resembling a trident, the three-pronged spear of classical Greece .

The appearance has been described in :

• asphyxiating thoracic dystrophy (Jeune syndrome)
• achondroplasia
• Ellis-van Creveld syndrome (chondroectodermal dysplasia)
• thanatophoric dysplasia

History and etymology

The trident is a three-pronged lance employed for spearing fish, and in Classical mythology was the weapon born by sea gods, such as the sea god Poseidon in Ancient Greece (or Neptune, the classical Roman equivalent). Although a similar weapon, the trishoola, with rounded tines, is also seen being carried in images of Hindu gods, e.g. Shiva and Durga .

Siehe auch:

• Dreizack-Zeichen (Begriffsklärung)