Helical CT of the cervical spine for trauma patients: a time study

The purpose of the study was to determine the time needed to perform a helical CT examination of the entire cervical spine. Our study population included 156 trauma victims: 100 of these patients underwent CT examination in conjunction with a cranial examination; the remaining 56 patients underwent a primary cervical examination only.

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.