thoracic and lumbar spine revision
what is the area of interest for an AP cervical spine x-ray?
image should extend from C3 to C7/T1 junction
what should be superimposed on an AP cervical spine x-ray?
inferior border of the mandible with the occipital bone
what is the area of interest for an AP thoracic spine x-ray?
image should extend from C7/T1 junction to T12/L1 junction
what is the area of the interest for a lateral thoracic spine x-ray?
image must extend to the T12/L1 junction
what is the area of interest for an AP lumbar spine x-ray?
image should extend from T12/L1 junction to the inferior aspect of the sacroiliac joints
what is the area of interest for a lateral lumbar spine x-ray?
image should extend from T12/L1 junction to L5/S1 junction
why does the neck need to be extended during an AP cervical spine x-ray?
to ensure that the upper cervical vertebrae is not obscured by the patient's chin
what is the exposure factor for an AP C spine x-ray?
65kV, 2 mAs
what is the exposure factor for a lateral C spine x-ray?
70kV, 5 mAs
what is the exposure factor for an AP T spine x-ray?
85kV, 5 mAs
what is the exposure factor for a lateral T spine x-ray?
85kV, 10 mAs
what is the exposure factor for an AP L spine x-ray?
85kV, 20 mAs
what is the exposure factor for a lateral L spine x-ray?
85kV, 25-30 mAs
what is the term thoracolumbar spine?
the transition zone between the thoracic vertebrae and the lumbar vertebrae
why is "lower back pain" sometimes not a strong enough justification for an examination?
pain could be attributed to a wide number of causes and often the cause is soft tissue related
what is haematologic?
a disease that is blood borne
what are osteoclasts responsible for?
bone resorption
why is history of breast cancer a justification for a spine x-ray?
the spine is one of the areas where a disease like breast cancer metastasizes
what is the three column spine theory?
used to assess the stability of the spine in the consequence of an injury sustained
what age group is vertebral compression / wedge fractures common in?
elderly patients where they have had a fall from standing
why is a spinal fracture in a pateint with osteoporosis called a fragility fracture?
it occurs as a consequence of the bones becoming more fragile
why is a wedge fracture considered a stable fracture?
it only causes disruption to the anterior longitudal ligament and the anterior half of the vertebrae body
what is a burst fracture?
the anterior and posterior aspects of the thoracic and/or lumbar vertebral body are affected
why are chance fractures also referred to as seatbelt fractures?
they normally happen due to the patient wearing their seatbelt incorrectly
name two unstable spine fractures
burst fracture and chance fracture
what does compression of the vertebral body mean?
loss of vertebral body height
what does the term distraction mean?
describes the widening of the posterior vertebral elements
what is spondylolysis?
bilateral defect in the pars interarticulus of the vertebra
what does lumbar osteoarthritis tend to affect?
the L4/L5 and L5/S1 vertebrae
what is ankylosing spondylitis?
an inflammatory, chronic disease of the spine. the most common symptom is inflammatory back pain
what is hyperkyphosis?
excessive concavity of the thoracic spine
what is spondylolisthesis?
where one vertebral body slips with respect to the adjacent vertebral body
how many grades of spondylolisthesis are there?
4
which forms of cancer are the most common to metastasise to the spine?
breast, lung and prostate cancer
what does osteoblastic mean?
bone formation
what are the three excessice curvatures of the spine?
scoliosis, kyphosis and lordosis
what is a special type of kyphosis which typically affects the older population?
scheurmann's disease
what is spina bifida?
incomplete development of the caudal structures of the neural tube
what can spina bifida be divided into?
spina bifida occulta and spina bifida aperta
what is CSF?
cerebrospinal fluid