A PROSPECTIVE ANALYSIS OF A 2-YEAR EXPERIENCE USING COMPUTED-TOMOGRAPHY AS AN ADJUNCT FOR CERVICAL-SPINE CLEARANCE

The role of CT scanning as an adjunct to plain roentgenograms of the cervical spine was reviewed in acutely injured blunt trauma patients. Following institution of a protocol to evaluate the cervical spine in all blunt trauma patients, 179 patients underwent CT scanning of their cervical spine. This was performed for patients whose x-ray findings were positive, for patients with plain x-ray films suggestive of a pathologic condition, for patients with plain x-ray films that did not reveal all of the cervical vertebrae, and for patients who had persistent pain or neurologic deficits despite normal plain x-ray films. Of 123 patients not able to have their cervical spine cleared by normal roentgenograms, 93% were cleared within 24 hours of admission based on CT scans. There were no missed injuries in this setting. A false-positive rate of 28% and a false-negative rate of 1.5% were found for plain roentgenograms. Computed tomographic scans detected 98% of the injuries in our study and when combined with a three-view plain x-ray series of the cervical spine, 100% of cervical spine injuries were detected. Computed tomographic scanning as an adjunct to plain x-ray films of the cervical spine is a highly accurate and expedient modality to clear the cervical spine of blunt trauma patients.