The technical term "scotty dog" relates to which region of the spine?

The term "scotty dog" refers to a specific appearance of a lumbar vertebra on certain radiographic images, particularly oblique views of the lumbar spine. This terminology helps in identifying and diagnosing conditions such as spondylolysis. The "scotty dog" image is characterized by the shape of the lumbar vertebra, where the "head" of the dog represents the transverse process, the "body" represents the vertebral body, and the "neck" corresponds to the area where the pars interarticularis is located. This unique visual representation is essential in spinal imaging and indicates potential structural issues in that region.