Pubic Spurs

Pubic spurs appear as small, anteroinferiorly directed bumps on the medial aspect of the superior pubic ramus. On frontal radiographs, we see inferiorly pointing bony excrescences projected over the medial aspect of the obturator foramen. Axial CT reveals anterior excrescences at the parasymphyseal region that are seen to point inferiorly on sagittal reformations.

Pubic spurs are common, reported to be present in 85% of patients undergoing CT for reasons other than groin pain. They are thought to represent partial ossification of the tendinous origin of the pectineus muscle. The fibers of the pectineus muscle (from the Latin pecten = comb) then travel down, back, and out to insert onto the posterior surface of the femur, just inferior to the lesser trochanter along the pectineal line.

References

• Cherian PT, Parnell AP. Radiologic anatomy of the inguinofemoral region: insights from MDCT. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 2007 Oct;189(4):W177-83.
• Keats TE and Anderson MW. Atlas of Normal Roentgen Variants That May Simulate Disease - 8th edition (Mosby, 2004), p 397.