Disease relevance of Cervical Vertebrae

• STUDY DESIGN: First published report of a child with an aneurysmal bone cyst (ABC) of the first cervical vertebrae treated successfully with intralesional injection of calcitonin and methylprednisolone [1].
• CASE SUMMARY: A 58-year-old white man was admitted to the hospital with chronic osteomyelitis of the foot due to methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus that later spread hematogenously to the cervical vertebrae [2].
• The defect in the C1 cervical vertebrae, caused by congenital nonfusion of the arch of C1, may be confused with a cervical spinal fracture on plain radiographs of the cervical spine [3].
• Bifid tongue associated with midline cleft palate, mandible, cervical vertebrae and linea alba [4].
• The patient, a 36-year-old man, presented with an acute obstructive hydrocephalus due to the cyst and exhibited the typical triad of the Klippel-Feil abnormality with short neck, low hairline implantation and limited neck motion along with a complex cervical vertebrae fusion [5].

High impact information on Cervical Vertebrae

• This ectopic expression results in a homeotic transformation of the occipital bones towards a more posterior phenotype into structures that resemble cervical vertebrae, whereas it has no effect in regions that normally express Hox-4 [6].
• We found that the expression of Hoxa-4 was indeed reduced in the cartilage primordia of cervical vertebrae of embryonic day 12.5 embryos [7].
• Mice homozygous for a targeted disruption of Hoxd-3 (Hox-4.1) exhibit anterior transformations of the first and second cervical vertebrae, the atlas and the axis [8].
• Mutations to the FGD1 gene result in a human developmental disorder affecting specific skeletal structures, including elements of the face, cervical vertebrae and distal extremities [9].
• Biomechanics studies have determined that after rear impact C6 is rotated back into extension before movement of the upper cervical vertebrae [10].

Anatomical context of Cervical Vertebrae

• TECHNIQUE: The upper cervical vertebrae were exposed via a midline posterior incision, the posterior arch of C1 was excised, and the vertebral arteries were mobilized [11].
• Fetuses were double stained with alcian blue and alizarin red for examination of cartilaginous and ossified vertebral and rib characteristics, and in selected fetuses cervical vertebrae were disarticulated for more detailed analysis [12].
• In this situation, an anterior fusion of the second and third cervical vertebrae is preferred to a posterior fusion from the atlas to the third cervical vertebra, which would abolish lateral rotation between C1 and C2 [13].
• We found the cervical vertebrae increasing slightly in width from C3 to C7, while the width of the lumbar vertebrae remained almost constant [14].
• A Rando Alderson phantom comprising a natural human cranium and cervical vertebrae embedded in a thermoplastic material simulating human soft tissue was used to measure absorbed dose to the thyroid gland.These measurements were made using lithium fluoride (LiF) TLDs [15].

Associations of Cervical Vertebrae with chemical compounds

• Mice heterozygous or homozygous for the Hoxd-4 mutation exhibit homeotic transformations of the second cervical vertebrae (C2) to the first cervical vertebrae (C1) and malformations of the neural arches of C1 to C3 and of the basioccipital bone [16].
• Of five female obligate carriers studied, three had fusion of cervical vertebrae, three had some shortening of the middle phalanges and three had glucose intolerance [17].
• Signs are the result of compression of the C2 root by disorders affecting the first two cervical vertebrae [18].
• Methanol causes posteriorization of cervical vertebrae in mice [12].
• CONCLUSIONS: Percutaneous intralesional injection of an ABC of the first cervical vertebrae with calcitonin and methylprednisolone in a child via CT guidance was a safe and effective treatment [1].

Gene context of Cervical Vertebrae

• We conclude that there are no synergistic interactions between Hoxd4 and Rarb in the specification of the cervical vertebrae [19].
• Hoxd4 and Rarg interact synergistically in the specification of the cervical vertebrae [20].
• Targeted disruption of the Nkx3.2 (Bapx1) gene in mice results in limited defects of chondrocranial bones and the axial skeleton, particularly pronounced in cervical vertebrae [21].
• Homeotic transformation of cervical vertebrae in Hoxa-4 mutant mice [22].
• RESULTS: Radiographs showed approximately 50% subluxation of the fifth on the sixth cervical vertebrae, along with computerized tomography revealing extensive discontinuous OPLL [23].

Analytical, diagnostic and therapeutic context of Cervical Vertebrae

• Scintigraphy clearly showed abnormal technetium-99m methylenediphosphonate accumulation in the level of the 5th and 6th cervical vertebrae [24].

References