Helical CT of the Cervical Spine for Trauma Patients

Abstract

Performing a cervical CT examination in conjunction with a cranial CT examination added an average of 12 min to the overall study time. The time for performing a primary cervical examination was 11 min on average. These times are approximately half of those required for a six-view radiographic evaluation. Helical CT has been suggested as a replacement for the more traditional radiographic evaluation of the cervical spine in trauma victims. Evidence now exists to support that recommendation.