C-spine Flashcards
open mouth view for cervical
for cervical instability
with open mouth view what bones can you see
lateral masses of C1 - joint space and dens
spinal ABCDs
ABCDs
A: Alignment
B: Bone Signal
C: Canal Space (also CNS for MRI)
Narrowing/ indent (encroachment) in canal from potential structures
D: Disc Integrity
S: Soft tissues
new or increasing nontrauma cervical or neck pain. No “red flags” initial imaging
xray of C-spine
new or increasing non trauma cervical redic no red flags initial
MRI
chronic cervical neck pain
initial
xray
acute
myelopathy
initial
MRI
chronic/progressive
myelopathy
inital
MRI
16-65
suspected blunt cspine trauma
not indicated by NEXUS OR CCR
initial
no imaging
16-65
acute cspine blunt trauma
indicated by NEXUS OR CCR
initial
CT
> 16
acute cspine trauma
confirmed or sus nerve root
w/ or w/o trauma injury ID on CT
next imaging
MRI
> 16
acute cspine trauma
clinical/imaging suggests lig injury
next imaging after CT
MRI
3-16
acute cspine trauma
low risk criteria
no imaging
Peds high risk for imaging
alt mental status
focal neuro findings
neck pain
torticollis
substantial torso injury
diving
high risk MVC
3-16
at least one risk factor based on PECARN or NEXUS
x-ray
