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Anything and everything you need to know about NBCE Part IV Xray in Study Stack

Quiz yourself by thinking what should be in each of the black spaces below before clicking on it to display the answer.
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Question
Answer
OM for Cervical Oblique film   to see IVFs ONLY  
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OM for Lumbar Obliques   to see pars and facets  
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OM for PA ulnar deviation of wrist   ONLY to see scaphoid and lunate  
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OM for Cervical flex/ext   check for abnormal motion and/or fusion, stability or instability of ligs  
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Adi space for children/adults   no more than 3mm adults, 5mm child  
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20-30% of downs pts have   absence of transverse lig  
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5 things that can cause increased adi   Trauma, ta, as, psoriatic a, reiters  
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Without measuring, normal width of adi is   a thin black line  
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4 possible reasons atlas goes ant   inc. adi, fx dens, unstable OO, agenesis of dens  
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3 possible reasons atlas goes post   fx dens, unstable OO, agenesis of dens  
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Hyperostosis, 2 akas   candle wax drippings, ant. Spinal bridging  
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2 akas for DISH   forrestier’s dx, ankylosing hyperostosis  
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DISH mc seen in what pop   males over 50  
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DISH preserves   disc space height and never involves facets  
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DISH has a correlation with what other disease   DM 30%  
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Management of DISH   adjust them! Send to endocrinologist if have DM  
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Marginal syndesmophytes   AS  
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Non-marginal syndesmophytes   psoriatic or reiters if not DISH  
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Conjunctivitis/uveitis, urethritis, arthritis   reiters  
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Silver scales on extensors, pitted nails   psoriatic arthritis  
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Hyperostosis with facet fusion   psoriatic or reiters (only time to consider these based on findings in the spine)  
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Avulsion fx of ant-inf aspect of vert body   teardrop fx  
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Teardrop fx mc occurs   c2  
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MOI for teardrop fx   hyperextension  
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Unstable fx that can cause acute anterior cervical cord syndrome   teardrop  
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Think MOPIT   Loss of anterior body height of 25% or more  
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MOPIT   malignancy, osteoporosis, pagets, infection, trauma  
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Radiolucent line at base of dens   dens fx, OO, agenesis of dens, mach line  
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If majority of dens is above occiput   PFT, pagets, fibrous dysplasia, trauma  
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Chamberlains line   from back of hard palate to post aspect of foramen magnum – dens should be no more than 7mm above  
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McGregor’s Line   from back of hard palate to base of occiput – dens should be no more than 8mm above in males, 10 in females  
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If dens is displaced, 2 possible reasons   fx, unstable OO  
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Os Odontoideum akas (2)   non-union of dens, un-united dens  
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Management for dens fx   stabilize neck and send to hospital asap  
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Alteration of shape of vertebral bodies   PFC- pagets, fx, congenital anomalies  
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Bone turns whiter   blastic mets, pagets  
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Bone turns darker   lytic mets, mm  
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Blastic mets age   >40  
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Pagets age   >50  
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Ivory white vertebra in someone under 30   then and ONLY then think hodgkins lymphoma  
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MC cause of ivory white vertebra   blastic mets  
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Blastic mets on bone scan   hot/responsive  
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Picture frame vertebra   pagets  
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Cortical thickening   pagets  
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Subchondral sclerosis aka   eburnation  
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Subchondral sclerosis seen in   djd  
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Vacuum phenomenon   djd  
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Destruction on both sides of joint   infection – the only thing that will do this  
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If post. Arch of atlas is absent thing 3 things   cut away in surgery, eaten by malignancy, congenitally absent  
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#1 ddx for fracture is   non union  
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Military spine c/s   alordotic  
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Reverse curve c/s   kyphotic  
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Decrease in posterior body height   MOPIT  
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Only dx malignancy with decrease in post body height if   there is no sign of infection or trauma  
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Loss of ant. Body height with post height usually preserved   osteoporosis  
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Wedge shaped vertebra   osteoporosis  
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V shaped defects in vertebra   trauma  
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If you see decreased body height on an AP film you can take it to the bank   there is decreased post body height  
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<10% slippage of one vertebra on another with facets stil in line   subluxation  
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Line drawn on the posterior vert. bodies- should be smooth, unbroken curve   george’s line  
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25% slippage or more of one vert on another with facets overriding or perching   dislocation  
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Management of vertebral dislocation   immediate surgical referral  
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Fanning of spinouses   facet dislocation  
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4 ligs must be torn for fanning of spinouses to occur   supraspinous, interspinous, ligamentum flavum, capsular lig  
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If facets are dislocated ddx   ra, trauma  
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If facets are destroyed ddx   ra, oa  
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If facets are fused ddx   ra, as  
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Djd of facets   facet arthrosis  
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Missing spinal laminar line   spina bifida occulta  
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Spina bifida of c1   spondyloschisis  
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If SPs are absent 3 possible reasons why   surgery, malignancy, congenitally absent  
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Spinous fx in c/s   clay shoveler’s fx  
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Mc location for clay shovelers   c6, c7, t1  
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Moi for clay shovelers   hyperFLEXION  
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Calcification of posterior atlanto-occipital lig   posterior ponticle  
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AKAs for posterior ponticle   pons posticus, ponticus posticus  
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Hole formed by calcification of posterior atlanto-occipital lig   arcuate foramen  
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Arcuate foramen transmits   suboccipital nerve, vertebral artery  
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Posterior ponticle vs clay shoveler’s fx, most clinically significant   PP  
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Post. Ponticle associated with   VBAI  
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Retropharyngeal space measurements   at c4 no more than 7mm  
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Retrotracheal space measurements   at c6 no more than 20mm  
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Causes of c/s soft tissue swelling   trauma, infection, malignancy  
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Wasp-waist deformity   congenital block  
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horizontal radiolucencies going through vertebra   usually mach lines  
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vertical radiolucency through vertebra   fx  
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hemispherical spondylosclerosis associated with/indicates   assoc w/discogenic spondylosis, ind-uncinate arthrosis  
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best view to dx occipitalization is   c/s flexion  
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c/s film, jaw angles up   extension  
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c/s film jaw angled down   flexion  
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multiple congenitally blocked vertebra in c/s   klippefeil syndrome  
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low hair line, short webbed neck, dec. c/s rom   klippefeil syndrome  
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20-30% of pts w/klippefeil will have   sprengles deformity  
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Unilateral non-descent of the scapula   sprengles deformity  
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Calcification of rhomboid musculature   omovertebral bone  
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Omovertebral bone associated with   klippefeil syndrome  
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In order to dx sprengles deformity you must have   bil. Shoulder shot  
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Fusion due to surgery   arthrodesis  
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Fusion due to pathology   ankylosis  
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Pattern of AS   starts in SI  T/L jctn  then fuses up and down the spine (so always affects lower c/s before upper  
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OM of APOM   to view dens and arches of atlas  
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Smiling arch of atlas   posterior arch  
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Frowning arch of atlas   anterior arch  
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Mach lines seen in APOM   smiling arch, frowning arch, occiput, gap between incisors makes vert. radiolucency through dens  
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Thin radiolucent line through base of dens   fx  
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Thick radiolucent line through base of dens   OO  
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Dens fracture above the base of the dens   type 1 dens fx  
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Dens fracture through the base of the dens   type 2 dens fx  
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Dens fracture below the base of the dens   type 3 dens fx  
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MC dens fracture   type 2  
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Most unstable/severe dens fracture   type 3  
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Unequal or enlarged peridontoid interspaces- possible   Jefferson burst fx  
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Overhang of lateral mass of c1 on c2 on one side with equal shift on opposite side   normal atlas laterality  
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Overhang of lateral mass of c1 on one side but does not shift equal amount on opposite side   Jefferson burst fx  
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Bilateral overhang of lateral masses on c2   Jefferson burst fx  
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MOI for Jefferson burst fx   vertical blow to top of head  
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Biggest thing affecting TPs of atlas   congenital anomalies  
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Congenital anomalies of TPs of atlas   epi-transverse process, paracondylar/paramastoid process  
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Mc finding in ST in and around jaw   lymph node calcification  
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Big, thick diamond-shaped radiolucency above the base of the dens   Os Terminale  
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DDX Os terminale with   Type 1 Dens fx  
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AKAs for Os terminale   non-union dens, ununited dens  
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Last set of TPs that point upward   T1  
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C7 TP extending PAST TP of T1   hypertrophic elongated TP of C7  
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AKA for TOS   neurovascular compression syndrome  
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TP fx MC   L/S  
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Mc thing affecting uncinates   uncinate arthrosis aka uncinate hypertrophy  
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Normal appearance of uncinates   vertical, like the ears on batman’s helmet  
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Flattening or laterality of uncinates   blunting of uncinates, indicative of uncinate arthrosis  
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MC cause of IFV encroachment   uncinate arthrosis  
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Never see spina bifida at what level   c4  
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Spinous Fx MOI   hyperflexion  
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Double spinous sign   clay shoveler’s fx  
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If see tracheal deviation on APLC   follow up with chest film. Can only dx deviation on APLC, but why is it deviated?  
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V shaped opacity in ST in APLC   Carotid artery calcification  
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Mc area for carotid arteries to calcify   bifurcation  
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Single white density in ST on APLC film   could be Carotid artery calcification or lymph node calcification  
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Multiple round white densities in a vertical line on APLC   carotid artery calcification  
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Multiple round white densities scattered (not in a vert. line) on APLC   lymph node calcification  
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Follow up for lymph node calcification   history of or current infection? Send out for US or for biopsy of lymph nodes to check for lymphomas  
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First IVF seen   C2/C3  
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Normal anatomy of IVFs   and border: bodies and uncinates, sup/inf border: pedicles, post border: facets  
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Hourglass IVF   IVF encroachment  
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3 things that can make IVF larger   lytic mets of pedicle (very rare), agenesis of pedicle, neurofibroma  
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Expansile tumor of nerve root   neurofibroma  
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Dumbbell shaped IVF   neurofibroma  
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Tx for neurofibroma   surgery  
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Multiple neurofibromas   neurofibromatosis  
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Neurofibromatosis aka   Von Reklinghausens dx  
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Café au lait spots with smooth borders   Neurofibromatosis  
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Café au lait spots   on abdomen, coast of maine (jagged) or California (smooth)  
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Café au lait spots with jagged borders   fibrous dysplasia  
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Hyperostosis of 4 or more segments   DISH  
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Decreased body height of post body of several segments in a row   MM  
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Loss of anterior body height in TS by 15% but no endplate irregularities   mild compression fx  
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Loss of at least 15% ant body heigt with jt destruction that is grossly unequal from jt to jt   infection  
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Slight loss of ant body height in TS with relatively similar destruction of jts, endplate irregularities of 3 or more vertebra   scheurmann’s dx  
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Severe scheurmanns dx causes   increased thoracic kyphosis (hump back)  
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Scheurmann’s Dx AOO   10-16yo  
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Avascular necrosis of secondary growth centers- specifically endplates in TS   Scheurmann’s DX  
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Major cause of all AVNs   trauma  
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Untreated AVN leads to   early DJD  
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Best modality for seeing AVN   MRI- best results, bone scan- more cost effective  
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Management of scheurmann’s   refer to ortho surgeon for bracing.  
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Impression on anterior half of vertebra – borders jagged and irregular   schmorle’s node  
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Impression on posterior half of vertebra and on the inferior aspect. Smooth border.   nuclear impression  
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Cupids bow deformity on AP film   nuclear impression  
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3+ schmorles nodes in same region   Scheurmann’s Dx  
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DDX Hyperparathyroidism with   osteopetrosis  
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Rugger jersey spine   Hyperparathyrodism  
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Marble bone   osteopetrosis  
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Metabolic dx commonly assoc. with brown’s tumor   HPT  
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Bone within bone   Osteopetrosis  
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Albers Schanbergs Dx   Osteopetrosis  
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Sandwich vertebra   osteopetrosis  
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Sclerosis along sup and inf aspect of vert from ant to post   HPT  
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Sclerosis along sup and inf asp of vert, post- curves off on ant aspect   osteopetrosis  
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Ivory white vertebra larger than those surrounding   pagets  
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Radiolucency through LS pedicle   fx  
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Displacement of LS pedicle   fx  
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Pars fx with no anterior slippage   spondylolysis  
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Test performed on anyone with hardcore neurological symptoms   myelogram  
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ST in LS L2-L4   Abdominal Aorta  
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Normal width of aorta is what fraction of LS vert   ½ - ¾  
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Half moon shape in LS ST   Aneurysm  
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Curvilinear calcification in LS ST   aneurysm  
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Best imaging modality for suspected AAA   CT with Contrast is best, Transverse diagnostic US most cost effective  
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Aneurysm present if AA is greater than   3.8cm  
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Immediate surgical referral if AA greater than   5cm  
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Emergency AAA if you see (3 things)   hypovolemic shock, tearing pn over abdomen, sudden onset of severe LBP that is deep and boring  
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Limbus bone   nothing more than a congenital non-union  
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Bony fragment on anterior aspect of vert body with no displacement   limbus bone  
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Bony fragment on ant aspect of vert body with displacement   avulsion fx  
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For AS, every segment affected must be affected   bilaterally and symmetrically  
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Spondylo that is usually a congenital anomaly causing ant. Slippage   (I) dysplastic  
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Spondylo, usually a pars fx causing ant slippage   (II) isthmic  
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Spondylo – djd of facets causing ant. Facet   (III) degenerative  
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Spondylo usually caused by a pedicle fx   (IV) traumatic  
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Spondylo caused by lytic mets, mm, pagets   (V) pathological  
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Inverted napoleon hat sign   spondylo (at least grade 3) on AP film  
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AKAs for inverted napoleon hat sign   bowline of brailsford, gendarme cap sign, man of arms sign  
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Meyerding grading system   I:1-25%, II: 26-50%, III: 51-75%, IV: 76-100%, V: >100%  
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If L5 has slipped >100% and dropped down it is referred to as   spondyloptosis  
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Spurring at anterior superior aspect of the sacrum   buttressing phenomenon  
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Buttressing phenomenon is an excellent sign of   stable spondylo  
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+ Mcnabbs line   facet imbrications  
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Bilateral symmetrical fusion of SI jts   AS  
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Bilateral symmetrical whitening of the iliac side of SI jt. DDX   DJD vs OCI  
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Bilateral symmetrical whitening of iliac side of SI jt and inferior portion of sacral side of SI jt.   djd  
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Bilateral symmetrical whitening of iliac side of SI jt and sacral side of SI jt not affected.   OCI  
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Management of OCI   adjust SI jts, pelvic/trochanteric stabilizer belt, nutrition  
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Triangular sclerosis of SI   OCI  
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SI condition usually seen in multiparous women between 20 and 40   OCI  
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Alteration of shape of ilium   PFF – pagets, fracture, fibrous dysplasia  
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Alteration of color of ilium   whiter: blastic mets or pagets, darker: lytic mets, mm, benign bone tumors  
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Line drawn across top of iliac crest should bisect   L4/L5 disc  
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Last set of ribs that point down   T12  
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If L5 is flattened or wider than normal then referred to as   spatulated TP  
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Alteration in shape of sacrum   PFCF- pagets, fracture, congenital anomaly, fibrous dysplasia  
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Mc benign tumor of the sacrum   giant cell tumor  
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Vertical radiolucency in sacrum   spina bifida  
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U shaped radiolucency in sacrum   spina bifida  
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Asymmetrical L5/S1 facets   facet tropism  
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Can’t have bilateral facet tropism, if both facets are sagittal then you have   bilateral sagittal facets  
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Vertical striations in a single vertebra   hemangioma  
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If body height is similar to the height of the pedicles you know you have   a crushed vertebra  
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Ddx for crushed vertebra   malignancy, infection, trauma – malignancy only if no other signs of infection or trauma  
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Winking owl sign   missing pedicle  
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Winking owl sign, pedicle that is present is sclerotic when compared to others surrounding   agenesis of pedicle  
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Winking owl sign, pedicle that is present looks the same when compared to others surrounding   lytic mets  
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Crushed vertebra with no signs of trauma or infection, no involvement of pedicles   MM  
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MM only affects areas with   active bone marrow (skull, sternum, ribs, spine, pelvis, prox femur, prox humerus)  
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MM on bone scan   cold  
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Reverse A/G ratio   mm  
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Labs for MM   IgG-M spike, reverse A/G ratio, Bence Jones Proteinuria, normocytic normochromic anemia, rouleaux formation  
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Rouleaux formation   stack of coins appearance- on blood smear RBCs stacked up against each other  
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In order to Dx TP fx without displacement, you must see   a bony callous (appears as a cloud of white density surrounding bone.  
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Cheerio sign ddx   renal artery calcification and renal artery aneurysm  
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Ddx renal artery calcification and renal artery aneurysm by   size. If “cheerio” is smaller than L2: renal artery calcification, if larger than L2: renal artery aneurysm. (if spans 3+ vertebra: AAA)  
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If you see Abdominal Aorta on AP film   AAA – you should never see Abd. Aorta on AP film  
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Only see gallstones on xray when they calcify which is about %   10% of the time- black center outlined in white.  
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Gallstones seen   at L1-L2 area straight above the top of the iliac crest and only on the right  
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Kidney stones can be seen on xray %   90% of the time  
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Kidney stones found   L1-L3 area unilateral or bilateral close to spine  
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Ddx kidney stones and renal artery calcification   by location renal artery calcification much closer to the spine.  
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Calcification of renal calyces   staghorn calculus (can see outline of renal calyces)  
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Ddx from renal contrast study by   looking for contrast in ureters  
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ST in pelvic inlet with big and small round white densities   blastic mets  
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Appears to be DJD of symphysis pubis   Osteitis Condensans Pubi  
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OCP in males as a result of   prostate surgery  
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OCP in females as a result of   child birth  
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First sign of AS   romanus lesion  
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Romanus lesion   erosion of corner of vertebra (not seen on xray, picked up on MRI)  
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Shiny corner sign   first XRAY sign of AS  
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Bamboo spine   AS, marginal syndesmophytes  
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Trolley Track Sign   AS, calcification of the capsular ligs  
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Dagger sign   AS, connects all SPs together by calcifying the supraspinous and interspinous ligs  
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Star sign   AS, white density at sup aspect of SI jts – only seen when SI jts are fused  
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Ghost Joint   term used to describe SI jt when theyre fused  
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Failure of ossification of center of vertebra   butterfly vert. sagittal cleft/midline defect  
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Failure of segmentation of vertebra   congenital block  
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What appears to be a disck in a congenital block (4 names)   remnant/rudimentary/hypoplastic/vestigial disc  
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Spina bifida of S1 in combination with elongated SP of L5   knife clasp deformity  
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Knife clasp deformity can not cause meningeal irritation bc   there are no meninges this far down only sacral nerves  
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Most to least clinically significant congenital anomalies affecting L5/S1   1: knife clasp deformity, 2: lumbosacral transitional seg, 3: facet tropism, 4: spina bifida of L5 or S1, 5: hypertrophic enlarged TP of L5  
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Best DDX in pelvis is   age  
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Thin black line in area of growth center pt age   <20  
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Thin white line in area of growth center pt age   20-30  
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No lines in area of growth center, no signs of DJD pt age   30-40  
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Signs of djd pt age   >40  
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Dx affecting pelvis/hip of young pts   Slipped capital femoral epiphysis, Legg Calve Perthes Dx  
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Dx affecting pelvis/hip of older pts   blastic mets, pagets, lytic mets, MM, DJD, osteoporosis, RA, AVN of hip  
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Dx affecting pelvis/hip of both young and older pts   Fibrous dysplasia, Congenital hip dysplasia  
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3 conditions affect lower SI jts   AS, DJD, OCI  
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Putti’s triad indicates   congenital hip dysplasia  
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Putti’s triad consists of   smaller than normal femur head, shallow acetabulum, femur head outside of acetabulum  
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Ortho test for congenital hip dysplasia   ortalani’s aka flexion abduction test  
🗑
Management of congenital hip dysplasia   refer to orthopedic surgeon, application of A-brace aka flexion-abduction brace  
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Normal femur head, normal acetabulum, femur head outside of acetabulum   hip dislocation  
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90° angle below symphysis pubis   male  
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140-150° angle below symphysis pubis   female  
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Indentations on ilii called paraglenoid sulci   female  
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Upside down martini glass   male  
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Upside down margarita glass   female  
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Sup-lat jt space preserved in hip, sclerosis only femur head side   AVN of hip  
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Sup-lat jt space decreased, sclerosis on femur and acetabular side   DJD  
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Malum coxae synilis   severe djd of the hip  
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5 things to look for in ST of Pelvic Inlet   uterine fibroids, calcified prostate, ureter stones, phleboliths, bladder stones  
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Mulberry mass in center of pelvic inlet   uterine fibroid  
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Round stippled white density sitting on symphysis pubis   calcified prostate  
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Small round white density found above a line drawn across the top of the femur heads   ureter stones  
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Small round white density found below a line drawn across the top of the femur heads   phleboliths  
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Large stippled, multi faceted white densities found below a line drawn across the top of the femur heads, more centrally located   bladder stones  
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Anytime bone appears whiter than surrounding bones (other than prox femur and carpal bones) assume   blastic mets until proven otherwise  
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Bilateral ischial AND Bilateral pubis fractures   straddle fracture  
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Line drawn along the inner portion of the pelvic inlet and the outer obturator   kohlers line  
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+ kohlers line if   femur head crosses protrucio acetabuli  
🗑
Bilateral protrusion acetabuli   Otto’s pelvis  
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