Diagnostic Aspects of X-ray Examination of the Cervical Spine of Children with Complaints on Headache

Abstract

Purpouse – to define of diagnostic significance of x-ray examination of the cervical spine of children with complaints on headache.Retrospective comparative study was conducted. During the research, 159 medical histories of children from 5 to 17 years were analyzed: patients had complaints on headache and standard and functional x-ray examination of the cervical spine was prescribed and performed. 59 of those patients also had sonography examination of the vertebral arteries, and in 38 medical histories contained results of functional sonography test (examination of vertebral arteries in the middle and rotation positions of the head).All medical histories of children were divided in 3 groups based on the curvature of the cervical spine (p ≤ 0,01). Assessment of values of mobility indicators in the cervical spine, based on Kolmogorov-Smirnov criteria, revealed normal distributions in all three groups. Comparative analysis of values of the segmental mobility in the cervical spine in all 3 groups didn’t reveal statistically significant differences (p > 0,05). The significant correlation between values of sonography examination of the vertebral arteries, values of functional sonography tests and values of the segmental mobility in the cervical spine was not revealed.The x-ray examination of the cervical spine is not prioritized method of diagnostics in children with headache. Found cases of increasing segmental mobility in the cervical spine had not demonstrated significant change in blood flow in vertebral arteries in children.Prescription of X-ray of the cervical spine must be strictly justified recommendation if patients are children with complaints on headaches.