Isolated vertical fracture through the anterior atlas arch: A previously unreported fracture

Vertical linear lucencies through the atlas may be due to congenital clefts or fractures. We report a case of an isolated midline vertical fracture through the anterior atlas arch. The absence of corticated fracture margins on computed tomography distinguished this fracture from a congenital cleft. In similar cases, computed tomography is recommended to identify fractures that might other-wise be dismissed as congenital clefts.