Cervical spine injury
Updates to Article Attributes
Cervical spine injuries can involve the cervical vertebral column, intervertebral discs and cervical spine ligaments, and/or cervical spinal cord. The cervical spine accounts for ~50% of all spinal injuries.
Epidemiology
5-10% of patients with blunt trauma have a cervical spine injury 1.
Pathology
Patients can have a combination of injuries including:
- atlanto-occipital dissociation
- occipital condyle fracture
- cervical spine fractures
- discoligamentous injury
- facet joint dislocation
- spinal epidural haematoma
- spinal cord injury
- vertebral artery dissection
Aetiology
- blunt trauma: motor vehicle accident (40%), falls, sports injuries
- penetrating trauma: gun shot injuries, stabbing
Associations
- closed head injury: patients with GCS <8 at highest risk 3
Radiographic features
CT and MRI both have roles to play. CT is used to assess patients who are obtunded, at high-risk, or those unable to be cleared by clinical criteria (e.g. NEXUS criteria, Canadian C-spine rule).
MRI is used to assess for discoligamentous injury but has a controversial role in patients who are obtunded and a normal CT with some advocating it as unnecessary due to the CT's high negative predictive value for unstable cervical spine injuries 1.
Please see individual articles listed above for further details in imaging findings.
Classification
There are two classification systems incorporating CT findings 1:
-<li>penetrating trauma: <a href="/articles/imaging-of-gun-shot-injuries">gun shot injuries</a>, stabbing</li>- +<li>penetrating trauma: <a href="/articles/imaging-of-gunshot-injuries-1">gun shot injuries</a>, stabbing</li>
-</li></ul><h4>Radiographic features</h4><p>CT and MRI both have roles to play. CT is used to assess patients who are obtunded, at high-risk, or those unable to be cleared by clinical criteria (e.g. NEXUS, Canadian C-spine rule).</p><p>MRI is used to assess for discoligamentous injury but has a controversial role in patients who are obtunded and a normal CT with some advocating it as unnecessary due to the CT's high negative predictive value for unstable cervical spine injuries <sup>1</sup>. </p><p>Please see individual articles listed above for further details in imaging findings. </p><h4>Classification</h4><p>There are two classification systems incorporating CT findings <sup>1</sup>:</p><ul>- +</li></ul><h4>Radiographic features</h4><p>CT and MRI both have roles to play. CT is used to assess patients who are obtunded, at high-risk, or those unable to be cleared by clinical criteria (e.g. <a title="NEXUS criteria" href="/articles/nexus-criteria">NEXUS criteria</a>, Canadian C-spine rule).</p><p>MRI is used to assess for discoligamentous injury but has a controversial role in patients who are obtunded and a normal CT with some advocating it as unnecessary due to the CT's high negative predictive value for unstable cervical spine injuries <sup>1</sup>. </p><p>Please see individual articles listed above for further details in imaging findings. </p><h4>Classification</h4><p>There are two classification systems incorporating CT findings <sup>1</sup>:</p><ul>
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