The pediatric cervical spine: developmental anatomy and clinical aspects

The radiographic interpretation of the pediatric cervical spine can be a perplexing problem for the emergency physician. Given the wide range of variances in the ossification centers, the unfused synchondroses, and the relative hypermobility of the pediatric cervical spine, radiographs may be easily misread if one is not thoroughly familiar with the developmental anatomy and variants. This paper discusses those developmental aspects of the pediatric cervical spine that impact on emergency radiographic interpretation. Frequently encountered pediatric cervical spine fracture/dislocations are reviewed with an analysis of age-related distributions. Finally, the syndrome of Spinal Cord Injury Without Radiographic Abnormality (SCIWORA) is discussed.