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Hahn cleft at C2

Case contributed by Roberto Schubert
Diagnosis almost certain

Presentation

Neck injury in a car accident.

Patient Data

Age: 25
Gender: Male
mri

T2 hyperintense and T1 hypointense line at the base of the dens axis, present only in the median sagittal slice.

Case Discussion

The vertebral nutrient canal (Hahn cleft)  may also persist within the second cervical vertebra, where it must be differentiated from a fracture. Another differential in that area would be a persistent synchondrosis at the base of the odontoid.

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