1. Catastrophe for a campanologist
- Author
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Angela J. Oglesby, Randal J. McRoberts, Alfred A.R. Thompson, and Scott McKie
- Subjects
medicine.medical_specialty ,medicine.diagnostic_test ,business.industry ,Odontoid peg ,Computed tomography ,Unconsciousness ,Middle Aged ,Cervical spine ,Cervical spine fracture ,Accidents ,Mechanism of injury ,Cervical Vertebrae ,Emergency Medicine ,Medical imaging ,medicine ,Humans ,Spinal Fractures ,Female ,Radiology ,Presentation (obstetrics) ,business - Abstract
A campanologist was involved in a nonfatal hanging incident. On presentation she had no midline bony tenderness and only subtle abnormalities on plain X-ray films of her cervical spine; however, a CT scan showed a type III odontoid peg fracture. We believe this is the first reported cervical spine fracture sustained while bell-ringing. This case demonstrates the importance of mechanism of injury with regard to decisions about diagnostic imaging and the debate concerning the choice of first-line cervical imaging is highlighted.
- Published
- 2006
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