Aldridge - Head/ Neck Radiography Flashcards
An adequate film for the neck has what?
All 7 vertebrae and the C7 - T1 junction (this junction is a common place for traumatic injury)
The 4 curvilinear lines in cervical plain film?
Anterior vertebral line
Posterior vertebral line
Spinolaminar line (posterior margin of spinal canal)
Posterior spinous line (tips of the spinous process)
How do you interpret Plain cervical films?
Adequate film Alignment Antlantodental Interval Bone Cartilage Soft tissue Scan periphery
A fracture of C1 usually involving both the anterior and posterior arches
APOMview shows blt, lateral offset of the lateral margins of C1 relative to C2
Not assoc’d w/ neuro deficit
MoI; axial loading
Jefferson’s fracture
MoI; high velocity hyperextension
Fx of pars of C2, bilaterally
Most common fx of C2 and spinal cord
Fx separates posterior aspect of C2 vertebral body from anterior aspect of C2, allowing forward displacement of anterior aspect.
Not typically associated w neuro deficits
Hangman’s fracture
Spinous process may be fractured as well
Facet widening and spinous process fanning may be present
Spinal cord compression from vertebral body displacement associated with neurological deficits or paralysis
Remainder of body displaced backward into spinal canal
Teardrop fragment comes from anteroinferior aspect of vertebral body
Mechanism of injury: flexion-compression
Common presentation; “dove into shallow water”
Flexion teardrop fracture
Head CT interpretation order
Blood Cistern Brain Ventricle Bone
Acute blood appears ____ on CT
Hyperdense (white)
Subactue blood (w/in week) appears -____—- on CT
Isodense
Chronic blood appears _____ on CT
Hypodense
Mass effect can be seen on CT by?
Effacement of sulci
Partial or complete effacement of ventricle
Displacement of midline structures
Hyperdense biconvex shaped mass on CT. CANNOT cross suture lines. Associated w skuull fx.
Epidural hematoma
Hyper-iso-hypodense
Crescent shape
Can cross suture lines
Subdural hematoma
Hyperdense w/in sulci and cisterns
Crab of death
Most common from rupture of berry aneurysm
Subarachnoid hemorrhagee
