Interactive Digital CT Atlas of the Pediatric Cervical Spine

Abstract Computerized tomography (CT) evaluation of the pediatric cervical spine is complicated by the changing appearance of normal structures during childhood. While hard copy atlases of the cervical spine exist, these often show only a few images of the cervical spine and may consist primarily of schematic drawings. In an effort to create a more comprehensive image reference, utilizing a large dataset, we constructed an online, digital atlas which demonstrates the normal appearance of the cervical spine at various ages throughout childhood. In this electronic teaching file, we show a digital atlas of normal CT cervical spine exams in 14 patients ranging in age from 1 month to 18-years-old, which are listed simply by their age. In addition, we have included a teaching file of 15 abnormal exams initially listed by diagnosis, as well as a digital teaching file of various CT examples of cervical spine pathology. The development of the cervical spine over time is important to understand when interpreting CT exams, particularly when trauma is suspected.