Cervical Spine X-Ray Anatomy - Lateral
Very commonly performed but still one of the trickiest to interpret if you don’t have a systematic approach.
I start with the soft tissues which should measure less than 7mm above C4 and less than 21mm from C5 onwards.
Then I move on to the vertebral column and I check out the alignment. I trace the 4 lines from below upwards and I finally finish after a careful evaluation of the C1 (Atlas) - C2 (Axis) area!
Degenerative changes are pretty common in the C-spine so I try to check the disc spaces and facet joints to spot any changes.
The atlanto-axial joint and the atlanto-occipital joint are very important and I probably spend most of my timing checking out this area! The McGregor line is a modification of the Chamberlain line and it helps us check for basilar invagination.

Dr. Devpriyo Pal @drdevrad

#Cervical #Spine #CSpine #XRay #Anatomy #clinical #radiology #labeled