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more use of functional imaging, so that head of neck patients must be turned You should not look back, but protect
patients could be imaged in their normal with extreme caution.” yourself”, says Villanen.
working positions, for example.”
The open patient positioning also Villanen and Mikkonen state that
Fast imaging increases pleases people with claustrophobia. the upper neck is a relatively new area
patient comfort “Some patients may be very relieved for of interest in imaging and medicine.
From the patient’s perspective, a CBCT not having to go into a tube for a scan.” “The upper neck has been somewhat
scan is quite pleasant – in addition to of a no-man’s land, even though it is
the low radiation dose, the procedure CBCT images of trauma patients one of the most mobile joint systems in
is quick. While a regular MRI scan takes Some of Villanen’s CBCT patients have the body. A neuroradiologist examines
about 20 to 30 minutes, and a functional sustained a neck or head injury in an the brain, while a radiologist usually
MRI scan up to two hours, a CBCT scan is accident: car accident, horse riding examines the area below the C3 vertebra.
completed in less than a minute. accident, a fall, or by a heavy object Treatment of a neck injury patient is a
falling on their head at a construction challenging multidisciplinary effort that
“Many patients have been surprised site. The patients range from 17 to 80 requires a clinician, a physiotherapist
at the brevity of the scan”, says Mika years of age, and the majority of them and a radiologist. If a brain or spinal
Mattila, a dentist specialised in radiology, are women. injury is also suspected, the team needs
who is in charge of imaging neck patients a neurologist and a neuropsychologist
referred to Pantomo Oy by Villanen. “Research shows that all other things as well.”
“Planmeca’s device has a handy cervical being equal, women are more prone to
spine program that sets the device to injuries in a car crash than men.” The A CBCT scan is an economical
the right position automatically. The position of the head is crucial in a crash, imaging method of which many
only difference in patient positioning, and women often make the mistake insurance companies have agreed to
compared to dental patients, is that the of first turning their head to see if cover the costs, describes Villanen.
the children in the back seat are okay.
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