OBJECTIVE: To present our experience of diagnosing fractures of the odontoid process on lateral radiographs of the cervical spine that show the Harris (axis) ring. DESIGN: Retrospective study. SETTING: Teaching hospital, Belgium. SUBJECTS: 12 patients with multiple injuries, including cervical spine, 8 of them unconscious or uncooperative. INTERVENTIONS: Cross table lateral view of the cervical spine. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Identification of otherwise hidden type 3 axial fractures. RESULTS: Diagnosis of low odontoid fractures in all cases. CONCLUSION: The Harris ring is disrupted in low odontoid fractures and intact in fractures of the odontoid process. Awareness of this sign will allow diagnosis of otherwise hidden axial fractures.
OBJECTIVE: To present our experience of diagnosing fractures of the odontoid process on lateral radiographs of the cervical spine that show the Harris (axis) ring. DESIGN: Retrospective study. SETTING: Teaching hospital, Belgium. SUBJECTS: 12 patients with multiple injuries, including cervical spine, 8 of them unconscious or uncooperative. INTERVENTIONS: Cross table lateral view of the cervical spine. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Identification of otherwise hidden type 3 axial fractures. RESULTS: Diagnosis of low odontoid fractures in all cases. CONCLUSION: The Harris ring is disrupted in low odontoid fractures and intact in fractures of the odontoid process. Awareness of this sign will allow diagnosis of otherwise hidden axial fractures.
Authors: Heiko Koller; Klaus Kolb; Juliane Zenner; Jeremy Reynolds; Marcel Dvorak; Frank Acosta; Rosemarie Forstner; Michael Mayer; Mark Tauber; Alexander Auffarth; Anton Kathrein; Wolfgang Hitzl Journal: Eur Spine J Date: 2009-11 Impact factor: 3.134
Authors: Heiko Koller; Frank Acosta; Mark Tauber; Elisabeth Komarek; Michael Fox; Mido Moursy; Wolfgang Hitzl; Herbert Resch Journal: Eur Spine J Date: 2009-02-19 Impact factor: 3.134