title: Acutely unstable cervical spine injury with normal CT scan findings: MRI detects ligamentous injury.
abstract: MRI can detect ligamentous injury not detectable with CT scan. The authors present a trauma patient with normal CT imaging despite dislocation on standing radiograph. MRI detected disruption of the C5-C6 posterior ligamentous complex that requires surgery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, 200 Hawkins Drive, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA. Electronic address: aerwood3@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Andrew M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Erwood
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, 200 Hawkins Drive, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA.
authors.forename: Taylor J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Abel
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, 200 Hawkins Drive, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA.
authors.forename: Andrew J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Grossbach
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, 200 Hawkins Drive, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA.
authors.forename: Raheel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ahmed
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurological Surgery, Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, USA.
authors.forename: Nader S
authors.initials: NS
authors.lastname: Dahdaleh
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurosurgery, University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, 200 Hawkins Drive, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA.
authors.forename: Brian J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Dlouhy
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D004204:Joint Dislocations / Q000175:diagnosis*; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008875:Middle Aged; D019838:Neck Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis; D013124:Spinal Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
keywords: CT scan; Ligamentous spine injury; MRI; Spinal cord injury; Spine fracture