Assessment of the Alignment of the Atlas and Surrounding Tissues in Chronic Whiplash Associated Disorder

Treating some neurological conditions, like chronic whiplash-associated disorder (WAD), is highly challenging for medical practitioners. Patients with chronic WAD frequently visit their general practitioner because it's hard to pinpoint the cause of their symptoms. This makes finding the right treatment very difficult. The number of chronic WAD cases is rising worldwide, costing Europe an estimated 10 billion euros annually. Half of all whiplash injuries develop into chronic conditions, leading to significant disability and societal costs. These patients face major limitations in daily activities, greatly affecting their quality of life.

Whiplash is an injury caused by the rapid forward and backward movement of the neck, leading to injuries in bones or soft tissues, along with various symptoms. Recent studies indicate that muscles affected by whiplash may show increased fat buildup and reduced muscle volume. However, these changes in muscle do not completely account for the pain and other symptoms reported. Besides soft tissues, whiplash can also injure bone structures, including the cervical spine. Until now, studies focused mainly on fractures of the cervical spine, often overlooking the position and alignment of the atlas and dens (C1 and C2).

The aim of this study is to apply advanced imaging technologies to assess the position and alignment of the Atlas (C1) and the surrounding tissues. The study has three main goals:

i. Study the feasibility and repeatability of state-of-the-art MRI measurements in 30 healthy controls across an age range of 18 to 75 years.

ii. Assess the position and alignment of the Atlas and surrounding tissues using MRI in patients with WAD, compared to patients with tension headaches and healthy control participants;