$hairline fracture x ray$ $hairline fracture x ray$

This is a type of thoracolumbar injury in which the posterior column is involved with injury to ligamentous components, bony components, or both. The combination of flexion and distraction forces can cause a Chance (or seatbelt) fracture. Dislodged bone fragments in the spinal canal may cause compression of the spinal cord or nerve roots.įlexion-distraction mechanism (Chance fractures) Imaging studies demonstrate anterior wedging and posterior vertebral body disruption. In the third pattern, there is failure of all three columns (unstable fracture). The loss of anterior vertebral body height is usually 50%. This results in anterior wedging of the vertebral body. In the first pattern, only the anterior column is implicated (stable fracture). The anterior column is compressed, with variable involvement of the middle and posterior column. The combination of flexion and compression forces typically causes an anterior wedge compression fracture. Osteoporotic fractures can be classified into three major types, depending on the location of the fracture lines :įlexion-compression mechanism (wedge or compression fracture) This classification system takes into account the loss of height of the vertebral body and the location of the fracture. Therefore, most radiologists use a pragmatic approach to the classification and description of vertebral fractures which is based on vertebral morphology. When a patient with spine trauma is referred for imaging, the exact mechanism of trauma is unknown in many cases. Ideally, vertebral fractures should be graded on the basis of clinically relevant and measurable parameters such as: neurological function impairment (modified Frankel grading method ), spinal canal deformity, and biomechanical stability. Most classifications are based on the mechanism of injury or anatomical changes, but their clinical usefulness is limited by the lack of quantifiable management parameters. Several classification systems for spine trauma are in use. The incidence of spinal injuries due to violence is increasing, whereas the incidence of injuries due to MVA is declining.

$hairline fracture x ray$

In the United States, violence (gunshot, stabbing, etc.,) accounts for up to 25% of cases. Other injuries are typically the result of a fall or sporting activities. Motor vehicle accidents (MVA) are the principal cause of spine trauma and account for approximately 40% of reported cases. Approximately, half of spinal injuries occur in the cervical spine, the other half involves the thoracic, lumbar, and sacral areas. At the time of injury, the average age of patients with traumatic spine lesions is 32 years and 55% of those injured are aged 16–30 years. Vertebral fractures predominantly affect young men (traumatic injuries) and elderly women (osteoporotic fractures). Imaging studies are essential to confirm the exact location of the injury, to assess the stability of the spine, and to define the repercussion of the trauma on the diameters of the spinal canal and neural foramina, as well as on the spinal cord and nerve roots. On the other hand, patients who present with an incomplete injury may regain a large amount of useful function, or be spared the progression to complete injury with rapid diagnosis and treatment of fracture fragments, hematomas, or other lesions which compress the spinal cord. Patients who present with complete spinal cord injuries, without discernable motor or sensory preservation on neurological examination, have a very poor prognosis. It can be accompanied by significant neurological damage, including paraplegia, quadriplegia, or even death. Trauma to the spine and spinal cord is a potentially devastating injury. There is growing evidence that state-of-the-art imaging techniques provide answers to some of the key questions in the management of patients with spine and spinal cord trauma: is the fracture stable or unstable? Is the fracture recent or old? Is the fracture benign or malignant? In summary, we show that high-quality radiological investigations are essential in the diagnosis and management of patients with spinal trauma.

$hairline fracture x ray$

The merits and limitations of different imaging techniques are discussed, including plain X-ray films, multi-detector computed tomography (MDCT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for the detection. We present a comprehensive overview of the classification of vertebral fractures, based on morphology (e.g., wedge, (bi)concave, or crush fractures) or on the mechanism of injury (flexion-compression, axial compression, flexion-distraction, or rotational fracture-dislocation lesions). Traumatic injuries of the spine and spinal cord are common and potentially devastating lesions.

$hairline fracture x ray$

Hairline fracture x ray