cervical spine xray

Question 1

what are the 8 mechanisms of injury to the cervical spine

Answer 1

flexion
flexion-rotation
extension-rotation
vertical compression
hyperextension
hyperfexion
lateral flexion
diverse

Question 2

what is a Jeffersons fracture

Answer 2

bone fracture of posterior and anterior arches of c1 vertebrae

Question 3

what can cause a Jeffersons fracture

Answer 3

axial load on back of head
or
hyper-extension of neck causing posterior break and maybe other breaks in cervical spine

Question 4

what is a hangman’s fracture

Answer 4

fracture of both pedicles of axis vertebrae (c2)

Question 5

what causes a hangman’s fracture

Answer 5

forceful hyperextension of head

Question 6

whats a teardrop fracture

Answer 6

compression fracture along the anterior vertebral body isolating a triangular anterior fragment with rupture of anterior longitudinal ligament

Question 7

what causes a teardrop fracture

Answer 7

severe flexion and or compression force

Question 8

what is a perched facet

Answer 8

vetabreal facet joints whose inferior articular process appears to sit perched on the superior articular process of the vertabrae below. any further movements will cause it to lock in that position

Question 9

what is pre-vertebral soft tissue

Answer 9

exists between the cervical vertebrae and the pharynx or the trachea

Question 10

why is the thickness of prevertebral soft tissue a valuable radiographic measurement when evaluating cervical spine injuries

Answer 10

analysis of PVST is helpful in detecting subtle osseous or ligamentous injuries that might go unrecognised