The role of computed tomography in the evaluation of upper cervical spine pathology.

A series of nine patients with symptoms referable to the upper cervical spine were recently studied by both conventional radiographic techniques and computed axial tomography (CT), in an attempt to ascertain the effectiveness of CT in evaluating upper cervical spine pathology. We found CT a useful tool in diagnosing a variety of pathological conditions in this region, particularly when they involve subtle neural arch fractures, rotational deformities, or compromise of the neural canal.