A pre-hospital team encounters a 25-year-old male who fell from a height and landed on his feet. He has bilateral calcaneal fractures and complains of...

Question

A pre-hospital team encounters a 25-year-old male who fell from a height and landed on his feet. He has bilateral calcaneal fractures and complains of lower back pain. A log roll reveals tenderness over L1. What specific imaging finding should be sought on the spinal X-ray/CT at hospital?

Accepted Answer

Burst fracture of L1 - axial loading from a fall onto the feet transmits force up through the spine; L1 is the thoracolumbar junction and the most common site for burst fractures from axial loading

Answer

Thoracic kyphosis only

Answer

Coccygeal fracture

Answer

Cervical spine fracture at C2

Answer

Sacral fracture

uk-dipimc MCQ (SBA): Calcaneal-Lumbar Fracture Association

A pre-hospital team encounters a 25-year-old male who fell from a height and landed on his feet. He has bilateral calcaneal fractures and complains of lower back pain. A log roll reveals tenderness over L1. What specific imaging finding should be sought on the spinal X-ray/CT at hospital?