Clinical Presentation

A 21-year-old woman who fell on her head during gymnastics practice.

Further Work-up

(A) Sagittal T2-weighted image (WI) demonstrates a disk protrusion (arrow) at C5-C6 impinging on the spinal cord, which demonstrates significant edema (between arrowheads). (B) Sagittal T1WI shows widening of the intervertebral space posteriorly (arrowhead). (C) Fat-suppressed sagittal T2WI shows disruption of the C5-C6 interspinous ligament with widening and edema (asterisk). There is also edema of the dorsal paraspinal soft tissues in the upper cervical region. (D)