Erect Radiographs to Assess Clinical Instability in Patients with Blunt Cervical Spine Trauma

Abstract

Despite major advances in imaging, these cases highlight the importance of physiological loading and radiographs. The controlled use of erect radiographs to test for clinical instability in patients with cervical spine injuries should be considered except in cases in which instability is already evident on other imaging modalities and/or surgical treatment is already indicated.