Cervical fracture in ankylosing spondylitis: value of multidimensional imaging

Ankylosing spondylitis creates a rigid spinal column that cannot easily accommodate to altered or increased forces. Fractures or fracture-subluxation may be seen following apparently trivial injury. Assessment of the lower cervical and cervicothoracic spine can be limited in the kyphotic, ankylosed spine. However, reformatted computed tomography (CT) data can be manipulated to provide true orthogonal (sagittal, coronal) planar images of the obliqued spine, and can be used to provide a three-dimensional overview of anatomy prior to treatment. One such case is presented.