X-ray/visual indicators

Question 1

Visual posteriority

Answer 1

lateral cervical
break in george’s line
compare above to below
acute condition

Question 2

stair stepping

Answer 2

lateral cervical
break in george’s line for at least 3 segments in a row
list bottom vertebrae
chronic condition

Question 3

stacking

Answer 3

lateral cervical
3 or more segments connected via a straight line
loss of cervical curvature
could be acute or chronic

Question 4

hourglassing

Answer 4

lateral cervical
demonstrates ellipse 
list most inferior segment
acute or chronic
**must be accompanied by wedging on a-p film

Question 5

ivf encroachment

Answer 5

lateral film in throacics and lumbars
compare IVF of adjacent segments
acute or chronic
*check a-p to see if just rotated segment

Question 6

Schmorl’s Nodes

Answer 6

chronic
listed for segment above involved disc
radiolucent nodes

Question 7

Thin Disc

Answer 7

DDD

chronic

Question 8

Increased disc angle/thick disc

Answer 8

lateral cervical
acute
increased disc wedge to the anterior

Question 9

Eburnation

Answer 9

chronic
sclerosing of end plate
bone becomes denser

Question 10

DJD

Answer 10

osteophytic changes
chronic
list the superior segment of involved motion unit

Question 11

FML

Answer 11

foramen magnum line
lateral cervical
pt 1: posterior occipital cyondyle
pt 2: occiput moves up

Question 12

APL

Answer 12

atlas plane line
lateral cervical
pt 1: anterior tubercle
pt 2: middle of posterior arch

Question 13

PS occiput

Answer 13

FML and APL diverge posterior

Question 14

AS occiput

Answer 14

FML and APL converge posterior

Question 15

OL

Answer 15

lateral cervical
pt 1: midpoint of tip of odontoid
pt 2: midpoint of base of odontoid

Question 16

ODL

Answer 16

lateral cervical
perpendicular to OL
extended anterior

Question 17

AS atlas

Answer 17

Diverging ODL and APL

Question 18

AI atlas

Answer 18

Coverging ODL and APL

Question 19

DPL Lateral cervical

Answer 19

Lateral cervical
Pts: inferior margins of vertebral body
SCROLL UP

Question 20

LL/BL lateral cervical

Answer 20

if any DPL cross the inferior line is BL and the superior line is LL

Superior segment is Posterior

Question 21

TCL

Answer 21

A-P Cervicals
transverse condyle line
pts: junction of jugular notch and mastoid

Question 22

TAL

Answer 22

A-P Cervicals
transverse atlas line
pts: junction of TVP and lateral masses

Question 23

RS occiput

Answer 23

TCL and TAL diverge to right

Question 24

LS occiput

Answer 24

TCL and TAL diverge to left

Question 25

Larger lateral mass indicates

Answer 25

Anteriority of atlas

Question 26

AxPL

Answer 26

A-P Cervicals

pts: pedicle shadows

Question 27

Right lateral atlas (ASR or AIR)

Answer 27

TAL and AxPL diverge to right

Question 28

Left lateral atlas (ASL or AIL)

Answer 28

TAL and AxPL diverge to left

Question 29

DPL A-P cervical

Answer 29

pts: uncinate processes

SCROLL DOWN

Question 30

Laterality of c2-C7

Answer 30

determined by distance from spinous pt to tip of uncinate process

Question 31

Diverging DPL on A-P cervicals

Answer 31

Wedge open to that side

Question 32

Lateral thoracic

Answer 32

use for visual indicators of posteriority

Question 33

A-P thoracic DPL

Answer 33

bottoms of segment

SCROLL UP

Question 34

AP thoracic pedical shadows

Answer 34

smaller shadow indicates spinous laterality