Main Main principles Neck examination with CT scan: Body Balance Clinic method

Neck examination with CT scan: Body Balance Clinic method

To identify issues in the cervical spine, Body Balance Clinic employs 3D computed tomography (CT) in addition to biomechanical tests. The scan is conducted directly at the clinic before performing the "correction." The specialist creates a virtual model of the neck and skull on a computer and demonstrates any deviations to the patient in real-time. The doctor provides detailed commentary on their actions and answers the patient’s questions.

It is not recommended to have scans of the upper cervical vertebrae done in other private clinics or hospitals, as there is a high probability that they may be performed incorrectly.

Expecting an external doctor or radiologist to inform you about the condition of your craniovertebral junction is akin to expecting an orthopedic doctor to be up-to-date with the latest advances in neurosurgery.

This is because dysfunction of the craniovertebral joints is still not recognized as a pathological condition in most medical textbooks.

When training doctors and radiologists, there is little emphasis on the craniovertebral junction. Few are aware of the consequences of dysfunction, or even that it exists.

Even if you are fortunate enough to encounter a doctor interested in new approaches, the little they might tell you is not necessarily accurate, as developing the necessary skills requires conducting hundreds of studies.

The inertia in implementing innovative solutions in medicine is significant, so don’t expect your radiology reports to contain anything substantial about the misalignment of the Atlas, Axis, or other cervical vertebrae.

As extensive experience shows, in most cases, patients hit a dead end when trying to examine the condition of their craniovertebral joints. This concept should be clear to you.

Only recently, and only after the development of a method for correcting the first cervical vertebra, has it become possible to identify the Atlas as a potential cause of certain complaints.

Body Balance Clinic is primarily about extensive experience in dealing with various cervical dysfunctions and is a reliable guide when it comes to diagnostics.

Scans from external organizations are only advisable if you are far from Body Balance Clinic and need an initial consultation from a distance. In such a case, place an order through the store, after which you will receive instructions on how to correctly perform a CT scan in an external organization.

What CT scanners does Body Balance Clinic use?

CT scanners come in different classes. To determine if there is a misalignment of the cervical vertebrae at the base of the skull, it is best to use a cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) scanner.

Proper settings, accuracy, and the resolution of the device are important. Typically, cone-beam scanners (CBCT) take a scan in 10-20 seconds. The radiation dose received by the patient is comparable to a flight of 1000 km, amounting to only 10-50 μSv (depending on the age of the machine), while the recommended annual limit is up to 1000 μSv.

The modern cone-beam CT scanners used by Body Balance Clinic are built using the latest technologies and equipped with a GREEN MODE, allowing a scan to be completed in just 7 seconds. The radiation dose received by the patient is only 9.8 μSv.

Undergoing a CBCT scan at Body Balance Clinic provides a high-quality image of the cervical spine and the base of the skull, following all the rules, while exposing the patient to only 9.8 μSv of radiation—tens of times lower than traditional spiral computed tomography (SCT) and several times lower than cone-beam CT (CBCT) in other clinics.

The cost of CBCT is significantly lower than that of SCT. Moreover, the price-quality ratio of CBCT at Body Balance Clinic is among the most affordable today. Additionally, the patient receives professional consultation from a doctor specialized in this specific field of medicine. The CBCT procedure is completely safe and can be performed on both adults and children.

CBCT at Body Balance Clinic - your best choice for neck diagnostics.

Is It necessary to have a scan?

A scan is a highly recommended element of treatment, essentially serving as a "navigator" for the treating doctor.

A scan improves the effectiveness of the correction because the doctor can see all the elements of the dysfunction. The doctor builds a picture of the muscle spasms causing the issue and understands where and how to act. The scan also has an evidentiary aspect. It’s better for the patient to see the existing pathologies in their cervical spine once than to read about someone else’s experience a hundred times. The doctor reconstructs a 3D model, provides detailed information right in front of you, and summarizes the results.

If you want to get an adequate understanding of the condition of your neck and craniovertebral joints, free from misconceptions and biases, it is best to undergo CBCT at Body Balance Clinic.

Having a scan is the most sensible investment in your successful and, most importantly, predictable treatment!

Example of Atlas and Axis derotation

Image 1: Atlas C1 before and after treatment at Body Balance Clinic.

Image 2: Axis C2 before and after treatment at Body Balance Clinic.

Rotation of Atlas C1 - before 5.2 degrees, after 0.2 degrees.

Rotation of Axis C2 - before 6.3 degrees, after 0.4 degrees.

These images clearly show the change in the position of the first cervical vertebra (Atlas) and the second cervical vertebra (Axis) in relation to the palatal suture and the midline of the skull.

After several correction sessions, the vertebrae are centered.

The entire upper cervical spine appears more symmetrical, and the skull is in a balanced position.

Patients often ask the question, are there other types of examinations to determine the dysfunction of the joints of the head? We'll talk about this below:

Spiral computed tomography (SCT)

Spiral tomography (SCT) is also suitable for diagnosing cervical vertebrae misalignments and can be used. However, it has its drawbacks: the patient’s head needs to be additionally fixed in a straight position, and the scan itself takes a lot of time—20-40 minutes. Patients often experience discomfort inside the machine.

From the perspective of Body Balance Clinic, the use of SCT to detect abnormalities in the upper cervical spine is also impractical due to the high radiological exposure. It ranges from 500 to 2000 μSv per scan (compared to 9.8 μSv from CBCT at Body Balance Clinic), while the recommended annual limit is up to 1000 μSv.

The use of spiral CT is possible, but the approach has its downsides. It is still better to use cone-beam computed tomography.

Other examination methods for the craniovertebral region are uninformative.

Cervical spine X-Ray

The classic X-ray, which we are all familiar with, is absolutely unsuitable for detecting misalignments of the upper cervical vertebrae because it creates only one two-dimensional image of the objects displayed. It is impossible to determine anything from the resulting image because the object of study is not visible.

If someone claims they can assess the misalignment of the Atlas or Axis relative to the occipital condyles using a single two-dimensional X-ray, they simply do not understand the subject.

A single conventional X-ray image CANNOT adequately show the misalignments of Atlas C1 and Axis C2 at the base of the skull.

In comparison, CBCT or cone-beam computed tomography is a combination of 100-150 two-dimensional images combined into a 3D model with the ability to study the skull and neck from any angle.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the neck

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is intended for other purposes. While X-rays or CT scans (CBCT and SCT) provide a good view of bones, MRI primarily examines soft tissues.

Performing MRI takes a significant amount of time, up to 30-40 minutes, depending on the size of the area being scanned.

MRI only provides a two-dimensional view of the scanned area, which is insufficient for accurate 3D spatial diagnosis of Atlas C1 and Axis C2 cervical vertebrae misalignments.

MRI does not provide a clear image of the vertebrae and skull bones, as it is not designed for these purposes.

The big advantage of MRI is that it can detect physical compression of the blood vessels supplying the brain.

The major benefit of MRI is the ability to obtain images without exposing the patient to radiation.

My massage therapist said my Atlas is misaligned after palpation

Some amateur specialists who diagnose by touch may claim that your cervical vertebrae are misaligned or properly aligned during palpation. The specialist argues that they have been practicing massage for many years and rely on their palpatory experience.

Body Balance Clinic states that the likelihood of error when determining the rotation of cervical vertebrae solely by palpation is over 50%. The accuracy of determining the horizontal alignment of cervical vertebrae relative to the base of the skull is negligible, at less than 20%.

This happens because palpation does not account for the possible asymmetry of the processes of the occipital bone of the skull, the skull itself, the structure of the cervical vertebrae, and the jawbones.

The massage therapist tells you that your vertebra is rotated and misaligned to the side, and you might even feel it yourself, how it protrudes more on one side than the other, but the reality is that the mastoid processes of the skull can be asymmetrically located, may vary in size, and may not be at the same height on both sides of the skull. Such a situation occurs frequently. As a result, the fingers distinctly feel a misalignment that doesn’t exist. Or conversely, when palpating a real misalignment, you are told that "everything is fine." And this is just one example.

Trainees at Body Balance Clinic with extensive experience in medical massage make gross errors in this type of testing using only their hands. In more than half of the total attempts, they get the wrong result: they feel a rotation that isn’t there or a lateral misalignment due to different development of the lateral masses of the vertebrae, and so on.

Comparing palpation results with CT scans almost always yields unexpected results. Therefore, trust only the technology. It does not make mistakes.

Identifying irreversible changes in the neck

3D CT reconstruction is also useful for identifying those rare cases where structural changes or damage to the vertebrae are caused by severe whiplash or progressive degeneration (vertebral fusion, Kimmerle’s anomaly, fractures, ligament tears, non-union of the posterior arch of the Atlas, etc.).

If such deviations are present, the doctor adjusts the treatment plan, which also improves the final results.

Example of Kimmerle’s anomaly: A bone growth is visualized on the posterior arch of the first vertebra (Atlas), formed over several years due to excessive muscle tension. The arch underwent calcification due to impaired microcirculation.

Example of pronounced skull asymmetry and dysfunction of the temporomandibular joints caused by birth trauma. One eye is lower than the other, with a shift toward the bridge of the nose. In this case, after the correction, treatment by an orthodontist-orthopedist with the use of orthodontic appliances to create a "lever" effect is recommended, or the use of a "Balancer" device to stabilize the joints and reduce the load on the joint discs. Pronounced skull asymmetry occurs in 5% of cases, with moderate severity in 20% of cases.

Example of Atlas rotation by 7.3 degrees.

Infection in the sinus that penetrated through a poorly treated root canal.

If you are interested in getting the highest quality diagnosis and the best treatment option for craniovertebral dysfunction available on this planet, make an appointment at Body Balance Clinic.