Lecture 3 - Cervical and Thoracic Spine Flashcards
What are the reasons that we would image the thoracic and cervical spine?
- DDD
- Arthiritus
- Neck pain/stiffness
- Whiplash ligament damage
- Primary or metastatic tumour
- Non-specific shoulder and arm pain
What nerve root comes out of the C-spine?
Brachial plexus
What pathology is being shown here?
Hang man’s fracture
What is the hangmans fracture?
Bilateral pedicle fracture of C2
What pathology is being shown here?
Whiplash injury from forced flexion
What are the curves are being shown in this image?
Normal lordotic curves
Label each line
What is the prevertebral line showing?
The soft tissue of the neck
True or false?
The soft tissue should never be greater than the height of the vertebrae in front
True
What pathology is being shown here? What symptoms would this person present with?
Thoracic outlet syndrome; present with numbness, coldness and tingling on one limb
What is thoracic outlet syndome?
It is a term that refers to compression of the nerves, arteries, and veins in the lower neck and upper chest area.
True or false?
C1-C5 keeps the diaphragm alive
False; C3-C5 keeps the diaphram alive
With vetebral level
Label this image:
What articles need to be removed prior to imaging the C-spine?
- Dental appliances
- Jewelry in the area
- Hairpins or clips or elastics
- Thick hair braids
- Glasses
- Bra straps, buttons, zippers
What is the purpose of bringing the shoulders down in a lateral C spine?
To see C7-T1
Why do we raise the chin in a lateral c-spine?
To get the mandible off the spine
Label image:
What structures should be shown in a lateral c spine?
- Must see at least 1/3rd of T1
- Lateral cervical bodies
- Cervical Disc spaces
- Zygapophyseal joints
- No rotation
- Superimposed articular pillars
What position of the c spine is the best for imaging fractures?
The lateral c-spine
Critique this image:
Very good image:
1. Chin is raised
2. Articular pillars are superimposed
How do we ensure that the articular pillars are superimposed in the lateral c-spine?
Ensure that the inter pupurarily line is perpendicular to IR and that the MSP parallel to IR
Critique this image:
Bad image:
-Rotation (seeing double line of articular pillars; back of articular pillars)
-Articular pillars showing tilt (front part)
-Cannot see the top of the body of T1
How do you measure the angle on the lateral c spine to obtain the measurement for the angle of the AP?
- On lateral, draw a line across the top of vertebral body of C4/5
- A steeper angle of the vertebral bodies will have a steeper caudad or cephlad
When is the C-spine swimmers proceedure done?
Done only when C7/T1 disc space is not shown on the routine lateral
How do you position a c-spine swimmers projection?
(according to the textbook)
- Dependant arm raised above the head and forearm placed on head
- Humeral head can be rotated anteriorly
- Remote arm placed along patient’s side
- Push the shoulder down as much as possible
- Humeral head can be rotated posteriorly
- May require a 3° to 5° caudad angle if remote shoulder cannot be depressed enough
Erect - Left lateral
Critique this image:
- Good image for positioning
- Cannot see C2 and there is hand in the image
(this isnt a repeat)
Which shoulder is anterior in this image?
-The right shoulder is posterior and the left is anterior
If given an AP oblique C spine; what things should be facing UP?
- Pt facing UP,
- CR angled UP,
- foramina UP are demonstrated,
- marker is facing UP
What does the AP oblique axial projection of the C spine demonstrate?
Demonstrates intervertebral foramina of raised side (furthest from IR)
What positions are done for the AP oblique axial C-spine projections?
RPO and LPO positions