Injury to the upper cervical spine: fracture versus congenital anomaly

As skull and cervical spinal radiographs are being obtained routinely on head and neck injuries, more incidental anomalies of the neck region are being detected. The differentiation of congenital anomaly from fracture can be difficult. The importance of this, however, cannot be underestimated because of the dire consequences of a missed cervical fracture. A case of such an anomaly and its presentation following injury is presented.