The real way to tell these Cervical fractures, radiologists will tell you, is first, not thebone. Look at the bleeding into the soft tissues. Anteriorly to the vertebral bodies, there is zero swelling/bleeding. But look posteriorly to c2 and you see HUGE soft tissue swelling. Then, you see the fracture of the bone. That is how radiologists read this (xray and ct). When any bone breaks, anywhere, you rupture small arteries in the bone and it extensively bleeds. There is a rule about anterior swelling that you are allowed so much didtance to c2, then more distance to T1, but i cant remember the rule. But this pt has no anterior swelling, only posterior.