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CT CERVICAL SPINE NON CONTRAST

NOTE: Please indicate specific vertebral levels for scan range to limit radiation if possible

INDICATIONS (1,3)

CSPINE NON CON INDICTAIONS

  • Acute cervical spine trauma - Age ≥16 years.

  • Neck trauma (NEXUS or CCR clinical criteria):
    - Midline tenderness
    - Impaired ROM
    - Focal neurological deficit or paraesthesia
    - Intoxicated or obtunded
    - Dangerous injury mechanism
    - Distracting injury
    - > 65 years old

  • Primary bone tumour suspected in cervical spine- suspected on radiography or clinical exam

  • Spinal tumours or vertebral metastasis – assessment of pathological fracture

  • Axial spondyloarthritis, spine ankylosis, cervical spine fracture suspected- initial imaging

  • Neck pain (particularly if red flags are present)
    - New, history of multiple vertebral compression fractures, initial imaging

  • Cervical radiculopathy, acute

  • Suspected axial spondyloarthritis with cervical symptoms

  • Cervical vertebral compression fracture on radiography:
    - Asymptomatic, history of malignancy, next imaging study
    - Symptomatic, new, history of malignancy, next imaging study
    - Symptomatic, new, no malignancy, next imaging study

  • Pre-operative and post-operative evaluation

CSPINE NON CON PT PREP

PATIENT PREPARATION

  • Patient able to lie still for five minutes

  • Not claustrophobic (sedation may be given)

  • Cognitively capable of following basic instructions

  • Metal artefacts removed from the region of interest

  • No respiratory distress when lying supine

CSPINE NON CON ANATOMY

ANATOMY INCLUDED
 

CT Cervical Spine Non Contrast- Bone window (axial)
CT Cervical Spine Non Contrast- Bone window (coronal)
CT Cervical Spine Non Contrast- Bone window (Sagittal)
CT Cervical Spine Non Contrast- Soft Tissue window (axial)
CT Cervical Spine Non Contrast- Soft Tissue window (coronal)
CT Cervical Spine Non Contrast- Soft Tissue window (sagittal)

REFERENCES

  1. Tins, B. (2010). Technical aspects of CT imaging of the spine. Insights into Imaging, 1(5–6), 349–359. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13244-010-0047-2

  2. Ahmad, Z., Mobasheri, R., Das, T., Vaidya, S., Mallik, S., El-Hussainy, M., & Casey, A. (2014). How to interpret computed tomography of the lumbar spine. The Annals of The Royal College of Surgeons of England, 96(7), 502–507. https://doi.org/10.1308/rcsann.2014.96.7.502

  3. American College of Radiology (ACR). Appropriateness Criteria. [ Internet]. 2022 [Updated 2023, Cited 20 April 2024]. Available from https://www.acr.org/Clinical-Resources/ACR-Appropriateness-Criteria

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