title: Is the cervical spine clear? Undetected cervical fractures diagnosed only at autopsy.
abstract: Undetected cervical-spine injuries are a nemesis to both trauma surgeons and emergency physicians. Radiographic protocols have been developed to avoid missing cervical-spine fractures but are not fail-safe. Three case reports of occult cervical fractures documented at autopsy in the face of normal cervical-spine radiographs and computerized tomography scans are presented.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of South Florida, Tampa.
authors.forename: J F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Sweeney
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Rosemurgy
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gill
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Albrink
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000368:Aged; D001344:Autopsy; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000293:injuries* / Q000473:pathology; D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D016103:Spinal Fractures / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed