title: Horizontal fracture of the anterior arch of the atlas associated with a congenital cleft of the anterior arch.
abstract: We report a rare combination of a horizontal fracture of the anterior arch of the atlas associated with a congenital cleft of the anterior arch. Sagittally reformatted computed tomography (CT) images demonstrated a fracture of the anterior arch of the atlas and a type II odontoid process fracture. There was also a smoothly marginated midline cleft of the anterior arch just above the fracture consistent with a congenital variant. 3D CT images were helpful in the evaluation of the fractures and the developmental variant. Magnetic resonance imaging showed a spinal cord injury. The patient underwent posterior C1-C2 fusion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, 200 Hawkins Drive, Iowa City, 52242, USA. kaoru-sasaka@uiowa.edu
authors.forename: Kaoru K
authors.initials: KK
authors.lastname: Sasaka
authors.forename: Gerald T
authors.initials: GT
authors.lastname: Decker
authors.forename: Georges Y
authors.initials: GY
authors.lastname: El-Khoury
mesh_terms: D000058:Accidental Falls; D000368:Aged; D001270:Cervical Atlas / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000293:injuries*; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000293:injuries / Q000601:surgery; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D016103:Spinal Fractures / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000601:surgery; D013123:Spinal Fusion; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed