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Anatomy Yr-1 |
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31 year old male with neck pain after motor vehicle collision |
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Images A and B are selected from the sagittal CT to show some of the patient's fractures. On Image C, there is a crack between C6 and C7 anteriorly and a fracture through the C6 spinous process (red arrows). On Image D, the fracture anteriorly between C6 and C7 is again shown (red arrow). This is not a normal gap due to a disc space but a crack through an abnormally calcified band of bone. |
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Image E shows another fracture (red arrows) on a more lateral slice from the CT study, that passes through the neural foramen at the C6-7 level. This is likely to produce damage to the nerve root which at this level is C7. Remember that the cervical nerves exit ABOVE their numbered vertebra until C8, which emerges BELOW the C7 vertebra. Below this level, thoracic nerves emerge BELOW their numbered vertebra. |
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E
D
C
B
A