C & T-Spine PathologyTiera Rigby MS, RT(R)(MR)

Additional slides provided by Weber Faculty

Myelitis

■ Inflammation of the spinal cord (disrupts the CNS functions linking brain and limbs) !

■ Symptoms: Moderate fever with pain along the spine that also radiates into the extremities.

www.nature.com

Acute transverse myelitis in a 7-month-old boy after diphtheria–tetanus–pertussis immunization

Spontaneous Subarachnoid Hemorrhage ■ Accumulation of blood in the subarachnoid space

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■ Symptoms: “Thunderclap” headache, stroke, vomiting, seizures, confusion, loss of consciousness, and cardiac strain

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http://www.asnr.org/neurographics/3/1/2/4.shtml http://webeye.ophth.uiowa.edu/eyeforum/cases/93-PseudoabducensPalsy.htm

Anatomic Site for Positioning“Gonion”

■ The most inferior, posterior and lateral point on the external angle of the mandible

Whiplash Injury ■ Injury to the C-Spine or supporting

ligaments ■ muscles marked by pain and

stiffness. ■ Most whiplash injuries are the result

of a collision that includes sudden acceleration or deceleration.

■ In this type of hyperextension injury, C2 may have fractures of the neural arch and facets, and the anterior longitudinal ligament may rupture resulting in avulsion fracture of the anteroinferior margin

Limbus Fracture

■ Traumatic separation of a segment of bone from the edge of the vertebral ring epiphysis at the site of annular attachment.

Compression Fracture

!■ A bone break that disrupts

osseous tissue and collapses the affected bone.

■ This injury tends to happen in 2 groups of people. ■ Patients involved in traumatic

accidents when the load placed on the vertebrae exceeds its stability. (This is commonly seen after a fall)

■ Patients with osteoporosis (most common)

Osteogenesis Imperfecta (Osteopetrosis)

Genetically-based skeletal disorder characterized by abnormally brittle bones

Achondroplasia “Dwarfism”

The most common disorder in bone growth that causes short stature with disproportionately short

limbs

Osteoporosis

Osteomalacia/Rickets

■ The softening and weakening of bones in children, usually because of an extreme and prolonged vitamin D deficiency.

Osteodystrophy

■ A combination of bone disorders usually caused by chronic renal failure.

■ Patients with chronic kidney failure develop these conditions because of imbalances of hormones that affect bone metabolism and calcium balance

Osteitis Deformans/Pagets■ chronic bone disorder that results in enlarged, deformed bones due to

excessive breakdown & formation of bone tissue that can cause bones to weaken and may result in bone pain, arthritis, bony deformities and fractures.

Osteochondroma■ A benign tumor that contains both bone and cartilage

and usually occurs near the end of a long bone.

Enchondroma■ A benign bone tumor that originates from cartilage.

Ewing’s Sarcoma (Peripheral Primitive Neuroectodermal Tumors )

■ Bone cancer found in children and young adults.

Ewing’s sarcoma

Multiple myeloma

■ Multiple myeloma is a cancer of your plasma cells. Plasma cells are a type of white blood cell present in your bone marrow.

Meningioma

■ 2nd most common brain tumor and accounts for approx. 20% of all brain tumors.

!■ Slow growing benign

brain neoplasm originating in the arachnoid tissues.

Meningitis:Inflammation of the protective meninges

!■ Causes: infectious agents, physical injury,

cancer, or certain drugs. Most caused by micro-organisms that spread into the blood and CSF.

■ Symptoms: headache, stiff neck, fever, and altered mental status.

Osteomyelitis

■ Infection of the bone or bone marrow caused by pyogenic bacteria or myobacteria.

Meningocele

Meningocele is one type of spina bifida in which the spinal cord develops normally but the meninges

protrude from a spinal opening

Myelomeningocele

The most severe form of spina bifida in which the meninges and the spinal cord push through the hole in the back.

Neuroma

■ Any tumor of cells of the nervous system. Neuromas may be benign or malignant.

Neurofibroma

A nerve sheath tumor that infiltrates the nerve and splays apart the individual nerve fibers. Although neurofibromas are usually benign, they can sometimes degenerate into

cancer.

Neurofibromatosis

■ A condition that causes tumors to grow on nerve tissue, producing skin, bone and tissue abnormalities