Evaluation of Blunt Cervical Spine Injury

Injuries resulting from blunt cervical spine trauma are common problems seen in emergency departments and treated by trauma care specialists. Timely and appropriate imaging studies are essential to the cervical spine evaluation in the trauma patient. Despite advances in imaging techniques, cervical injuries may still be missed. Several specialty bodies have published guidelines for the evaluation of the cervical spine with slightly differing recommendations. The purpose of this review is to summarize the current recommendations for radiographic evaluation of patients with blunt cervical spine trauma.