National Emergency X-Radiography Utilization Study

EAST guidelines now recommend computed tomography (CT) to evaluate cervical spine fracture after blunt trauma in patients who do not meet National Emergency X-Radiography Utilization Study criteria (NC), yet no imaging is required in those patients who do meet these criteria. NC are based on patients with both minor and severe (trauma team activation [TTA]) trauma.

NC is inaccurate compared with CT to diagnose c-spine fractures in TTA patients. CT should be used in all blunt TTA patients regardless of whether they meet NC 1).

1)
Duane TM, Mayglothling J, Wilson SP, Wolfe LG, Aboutanos MB, Whelan JF, Malhotra AK, Ivatury RR. National Emergency X-Radiography Utilization Study criteria is inadequate to rule out fracture after significant blunt trauma compared with computed tomography. J Trauma. 2011 Apr;70(4):829-31. doi: 10.1097/TA.0b013e31820ea6b3. PubMed PMID: 21610391.