Craniocervical Junction Disorders

Creator: Michael Rubin
Published: 2023-09-05

Michael Rubin

, MDCM, New York Presbyterian Hospital-Cornell Medical Center

Reviewed/Revised Sep 2023

VIEW PROFESSIONAL VERSION

Causes
Symptoms
Diagnosis
Treatment

Topic Resources

Craniocervical junction disorders are abnormalities of the bones that join the head and neck. (Cranio- means skull, and cervical means neck.)

These disorders may be present at birth or result from injuries or disorders that occur later.
Most commonly, people have neck pain and headache, but if the spinal cord or lowest part of the brain (brain stem) is affected, people may have difficulty sensing vibration, pain, and temperature and may have weak muscles, dizziness, and impaired vision.
Doctors suspect the diagnosis based on symptoms, and magnetic resonance imaging or computed tomography is done to confirm it.
To relieve pressure on the brain, spinal cord, or nerves, doctors use traction or manipulate the head, then immobilize the neck, but sometimes surgery is needed.

The craniocervical junction consists of the bone that forms the base of the skull (occipital bone) and the first two bones in the spine (which are in the neck): the atlas and axis. Disorders that affect the large opening at the bottom of the occipital bone (called the foramen magnum) are a particular concern because important structures pass through this opening. These structures include the lowest part of the brain (brain stem), which connects to the spine, as well as some nerves and blood vessels.

Craniocervical junction disorders may involve bones that are

Fused together
Abnormally formed or underdeveloped
Out of alignment (misaligned)

Misaligned bones may be completely separated (dislocated) or partially misaligned (subluxed).

Craniocervical junction disorders can put pressure on the lower parts of the brain, the top part of the spinal cord, or nearby nerves. The resulting symptoms can be serious. They include paralysis, weakness, and loss of sensation.

Craniocervical junction disorders may be present at birth (congenital) or acquired later.

Some craniocervical junction disorders—called isolated disorders—affect only the craniocervical junction. Other craniocervical junction disorders result from conditions that also affect many other parts of the body (general or systemic disorders).

Isolated disorders include the following:

Atlantoaxial subluxation or dislocation: The first and second spinal bones are misaligned, sometimes putting pressure on the spinal cord.
Atlas assimilation: The occipital bone and first spinal bone are fused.
Atlas hypoplasia: The first spinal bone develops incompletely.
Basilar invagination: Part of the second spinal bone is pushed up and partly into the skull. As a result, the neck is shortened, and pressure is put on parts of the brain, nerves, and spinal cord.
Klippel-Feil malformation: The first two spinal bones are fused, or the first spinal bone is fused to the skull. As a result, movement of the neck is limited. Usually, this disorder causes no other problems, except sometimes spinal cord damage after a minor injury.
Os odontoideum: Part of the second spinal bone is detached from the rest of the second spinal bone.
Platybasia: The bone at the base of the skull (occipital bone) is flattened. It is often accompanied by Chiari malformation (protrusion of the cerebellum, which controls balance, through the opening in the occipital bone). The protruding cerebellum may put pressure on the brain stem or spinal cord. People with this disorder have a short neck.

General disorders may cause the same abnormalities as isolated disorders, but the abnormalities occur as part of a disorder that affects the body as a whole, as in the following:

Disorders that affect bone formation in children (such as achondroplasia): These disorders affect all newly developing bone, particularly the long bones in the arms and legs. The long bones may be abnormally short and malformed, causing dwarfism Osteochondrodysplasias Osteochondrodysplasias are a group of rare hereditary disorders of connective tissue, bone, or cartilage that cause the skeleton to develop abnormally. In osteochondrodysplasias, the growth... read more . These disorders sometimes also cause the opening in the occipital bone to narrow or the occipital bone to fuse with the first spinal bone (atlas assimilation), putting pressure on the brain stem or spinal cord.
Down syndrome Down Syndrome (Trisomy 21) Down syndrome is a chromosome disorder caused by an extra chromosome 21 that results in intellectual disability and physical abnormalities. Down syndrome is caused by an extra chromosome 21... read more , mucopolysaccharidosis Mucopolysaccharidoses Mucopolysaccharidoses are a type of lysosomal storage disorder in which complex sugar molecules are not broken down normally and accumulate in harmful amounts in body tissues. The result is... read more (a rare hereditary disorder that impairs the body's processing of carbohydrates), or osteogenesis imperfecta Osteogenesis Imperfecta Osteogenesis imperfecta is a hereditary disorder that disrupts the proper formation of bones and makes bones abnormally fragile. This disorder is caused by mutations in certain genes. Typical... read more (a rare hereditary disorder that results in fragile bones): These disorders cause various symptoms, which may include misalignment of the first two spinal bones.

Craniocervical junction disorders may occur later in life. They can result from injuries or certain disorders.

Injuries may affect bone, ligaments, or both. They are usually caused by motor vehicle or bicycle accidents, falls, or often diving. Some injuries are immediately fatal.

The most common disorders that affect craniocervical structures are

Tumors can also affect craniocervical structures. If tumors spread to the bones of the neck (metastatic tumors to bone Metastatic Bone Tumors Cancers that begin elsewhere in the body may spread (metastasize) to the bones. In particular, cancers of the breast, lung, prostate gland, kidney, thyroid gland, and colon may metastasize to... read more ), the first two spinal bones may become misaligned. A rare, slow-growing bone tumor called a chordoma Chordomas Tumors that originally start in the bone are called primary bone tumors. Primary bone tumors may be noncancerous (benign) or cancerous (malignant). After cancer is diagnosed, it is staged. Staging... read more or a common, slow-growing noncancerous brain tumor called a meningioma Meningiomas Types of brain tumors (see also table Some Tumors That Originate in or Near the Brain) can vary in their characteristics, such as their location, the people they affect most often, and the symptoms... read more can develop at the craniocervical junction and press on the brain or spinal cord.

Symptoms may start after a slight neck injury or for no apparent reason.

Typically, people with a craniocervical junction disorder have neck pain Neck Pain Along with low back pain, neck pain is a very common reason for health care visits. The pain usually results from problems with the musculoskeletal system—the spine, including the bones of the... read more , often with a headache that starts at the back of the head. Moving the head usually makes neck pain and headache worse, and coughing or bending forward can trigger the pain. Neck pain may spread to the arms.

If there is pressure on the spinal cord, the arms and/or legs may feel weak, and people may have difficulty moving them. People may be unable to sense where their limbs are (called position sense) or feel vibration. When they bend their neck forward, they may feel an electrical shock or a tingling sensation shooting down their back, often into their legs (called Lhermitte sign). Occasionally, people become less sensitive to pain and temperature in their hands and feet.

Depending on the specific disorder, the neck may be short, webbed, or twisted in an abnormal position. Movement of the head may be limited.

Pressure on parts of the brain or cranial nerves (which connect the brain directly to various parts of the head, neck, and trunk) can affect eye movements. People may have double vision or be unable to move their eyes in certain directions, or the eyes may move involuntarily in certain ways (called nystagmus). People may be hoarse and have difficulty swallowing. Speech may be slurred. Coordination may be lost. Some people develop sleep apnea Central sleep apnea Sleep apnea is a serious disorder in which breathing repeatedly stops long enough to disrupt sleep and often temporarily decrease the amount of oxygen and increase the amount of carbon dioxide... read more . In this serious disorder, breathing repeatedly stops during sleep, often long enough to temporarily decrease the amount of oxygen and increase the amount of carbon dioxide in the blood.

Changing the position of the head can sometimes put pressure on arteries, cutting off the blood supply to the head. Then, people may faint or feel light-headed, confused, or weak, or they may fall, often without warning. They may have a sensation of spinning (vertigo). Vision and eye movement are sometimes affected.

In many people with Chiari malformation, a cavity (called a syrinx Syrinx of the Spinal Cord or Brain Stem A syrinx is a fluid-filled cavity that develops in the spinal cord (called syringomyelia), in the brain stem (called syringobulbia), or in both. Syrinxes may be present at birth or develop later... read more ) forms in the spinal cord. These people may lose their ability to feel pain and temperature in the neck, upper arms, and parts of the back. The muscles may feel weak or become paralyzed, particularly in the hands.

Imaging tests

If problems appear suddenly or suddenly worsen, people should see a doctor immediately. Immediate diagnosis and treatment of craniocervical junction disorders are essential and can sometimes reverse symptoms or prevent permanent disability.

Doctors suspect a craniocervical junction disorder if people have

Neck pain or a headache at the back of the head plus problems that are usually caused by pressure on lower parts of the brain or the top of the spinal cord
Certain involuntary movement of the eyes (nystagmus)

The diagnosis can be confirmed by imaging tests, usually magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computed tomography (CT). Because problems that appear suddenly or suddenly worsen are an emergency, an imaging test is done immediately. CT shows bone better than MRI and may be done more easily in an emergency. If MRI and CT are unavailable, x-rays are taken.

If MRI and CT are inconclusive, myelography Myelography Diagnostic procedures may be needed to confirm a diagnosis suggested by the medical history and neurologic examination. Imaging tests commonly used to diagnose nervous system (neurologic) disorders... read more with CT may be done. For this procedure, x-rays are taken after a radiopaque contrast agent—one that can be seen on x-rays—is injected into the space around the spinal cord.

If MRI or CT suggests abnormalities that affect blood vessels, angiography, which provides detailed images of bloods vessels, is done. Doctors may use magnetic resonance angiography Magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a type of medical imaging that uses a strong magnetic field and very high frequency radio waves to produce highly detailed images. During an MRI, a computer... read more (which uses a strong magnetic field and very high frequency radio waves rather than x-rays), CT angiography CT angiography Computed tomography (CT) is a type of medical imaging that combines a series of x-rays to create cross-sectional, detailed images of internal structures. In computed tomography (CT), which used... read more (CT done after a radiopaque contrast agent is injected), or conventional angiography Angiography Angiography is a type of medical imaging that uses x-rays and a contrast agent to produce images of blood vessels. In angiography, x-rays are used to produce detailed images of blood vessels... read more (which uses x-rays taken after a radiopaque contrast agent is injected).

Realignment, traction, and immobilization of affected structures
Possibly surgery
Other treatments depending on the cause

If the craniocervical junction structures are putting pressure on the brain, spinal cord, or nerves, doctors try to realign (reduce) the structures by using traction or by manipulating the head into different positions. These techniques may relieve the pressure. After the structures are realigned, a device is used to keep the head and neck from moving (to immobilize them).

Problems that appear suddenly or suddenly worsen require immediate realignment.

Usually, realignment requires traction. Traction typically involves a device that encircles and is fixed to the head (called a halo crown or ring). It may have to remain in place for 5 to 6 days. After the structures are realigned, the halo ring is attached to a brace around the person's torso. The brace, also called a halo vest, immobilizes the neck. It must remain in place for 8 to 12 weeks. After it is applied, x-rays are taken to make sure the structures are being held securely in the correct alignment.

If traction or manipulation is ineffective, surgery is done to relieve the pressure, stabilize the structures, or both. If the cause is rheumatoid arthritis, surgery is usually needed. Various devices, such as metal plates or rods with screws, are used to securely hold the structures in place until bones fuse and become stable.

If problems are due to a bone tumor Treatment Cancers that begin elsewhere in the body may spread (metastasize) to the bones. In particular, cancers of the breast, lung, prostate gland, kidney, thyroid gland, and colon may metastasize to... read more that has spread (metastasized), radiation therapy and a rigid collar (neck brace) to keep the neck from moving often help.

If the cause is Paget disease of bone Treatment Paget disease of bone is a chronic disorder of the skeleton in which areas of bone undergo abnormal turnover, resulting in areas of enlarged and softened bone. The breakdown and formation of... read more , medications such as bisphosphonates Medications Osteoporosis is a condition in which a decrease in the density of bones weakens the bones, making breaks (fractures) likely. Aging, estrogen deficiency, low vitamin D or calcium intake, and... read more (which increase bone density) or calcitonin may help.