Cervical spine Flashcards
Standing Lateral view:
- Pt position
- Central beam
- pt position - standing lateral view places the pt with the head in neutral
- central beam - directed horizontally to the center of C4 vertebra
Lying Lateral View
- pt position
- central beam
- pt position - supine with head in neutral position
- central beam - horizontally to a point approx 2.5-3 cm caudal to mastoid tip
- important the film demonstrates C7 vertebrae
What do you see on lateral views?
- vertebral bodies
- apophyseal joints
- spinous processes
- intervertebral disc
- suffices for most traumatic injuries and is most important view
- A/P arches of C1
- The odontoid process in the atlanto-dens interval
What is the atlanto-dens interval? What should the Atlanto-dens interval not exceed?
space between odontoid and anterior arch of atlas
- should not exceed 3 mm in adults whether flexed or extended
- in children under age 8, distance has been as much as 4 cm with flexion
What are the 5 contour lines of the normal cervical spine?
- Anterior vertebral line
- posterior vertebral line
- spinolaminar line
- posterior spinous line
- clivus-odontoid line
What should the retropharyngeal space be? what should the retrotracheal space be?
retropharyngeal(RF) = <7mm
- important for atlanto-atlaxial translation
retrotracheal = <22mm adults, <14mm kids
Line drawn from posterior margin of the foramen magnum to the dorsal margin of the hard plate
Chamberlain line
What should the odontoid process projection remain to be considered normal with regards to the chamberlain line? what does it indicate if it is abnormal
< 3mm = normal
3-6 mm = abnormal
> 6mm = strongly suggests cranial settling
Line defines the opening of the foramen magnum and connects the anterior margin with posterior margin of the foramen magnum
McRae line
What should the odontoid process projection remain to be considered normal with regards to the McRae line? what does it indicate if it is abnormal
below line = normal
indicates atlantoaxial impaction (cranial setting)
AP view:
- pt position
- Central beam
- structures seen
- pt position - standing or supine
- Central beam - directed toward C4 vertebra at an angle of 15-30 degrees cephalad
- structures seen - C3-C7 vertebral bodies and the intervertebral disk spaces
- limitation = C1-2 not adequately seen; open and close mouth rapidly = allows C1-2
open mouth view:
- pt position
- Central beam
- structures seen
- pt position - same as AP view but mouth opens as wide as possible
- Central beam - perpendicular to the midpoint of the open mouth
- structures seen - Best to demonstrate C1-2
Fuchs view:
- pt position
- Central beam
- structures seen
- pt position - supine on table with neck hyperextended
- Central beam - directed vertically to the neck just below the tip of the chin
- structures seen - odontoid process (considered if open mouth view is insufficient)
Oblique view:
- pt position
- Central beam
- structures seen
- pt position - obtained in AP or PA view; pt is rotated 45 to one side
- Central beam - directed to C4 vertebra with 15-20 cephalad angulation
- structures seen - intervertebral neural foramina; visualize fxs of the neural arch and abnormalities of the neural foramina and apophyseal joints
(rotated right will demonstrate the left-sided neural foramina
Swimmers view:
- pt position
- Central beam
- structures seen
- pt position - prone with left arm abducted and the right arm on the side
- Central beam - horizontally toward left axilla, film cassette on right side of the neck
- structures seen - demonstration of C7-T2 visualization
- always visualize C7** bc injuries will be missed if it is not