Diagnostic Imaging Pathways - Cervical Spine Injury

Cervical Spine Fracture

Image 1a (Plain Radiograph): Burst fracture of the C5 vertebral body (arrow) with fragments travelling both anteriorly and posteriorly and fracture of the C6 pedicle (arrow).

Image 1b and 1c (Computed Tomography): Axial and sagittal CT of the same patient demonstrating the burst fracture of the C5 vertebral body (arrow).

Image 1d (Magnetic Resonance Imaging): Post surgical MRI of the same patient showing plate and screw fixation of C4-C6 vertebral bodies. There is expansion and high signal of the cord from the mid-C4 to mid-C7 level (arrow). This most likely represents an intramedullary contusion injury.