Pediatric Jefferson Cervical Spine Fracture

  • Etiology: Trauma
  • Imaging: Fractures through anterior and posterior arches of C1 leading to the C1 vertebral body having a wider diameter than C2 vertebral body and an asymmetry between odontoid process and lateral masses of C1
  • DDX:
  • Complications:
  • Treatment:
  • Clinical:

Radiology Cases of Jefferson Cervical Spine Fracture

CT of fracture of C1 vertebral body / Jefferson fracture
Axial CT without contrast of the cervical spine shows lucencies through the left anterior and posterior arches of the C1 vertebral body with minimal displacement of the fracture fragments.
CT of fracture of C1 vertebral body / Jefferson fracture
Axial CT without contrast of the cervical spine (upper left) shows lucencies through the left anterior and posterior arches of the C1 vertebral body with displacement of the fracture fragments. Coronal 2-D reconstruction (lower left) and the 3-D reconstruction (right) which simulates an open-mouth odontoid radiograph shows the lateral masses of the C1 vertebral body are now wider than the lateral masses of the C2 vertebral body.