Readability of cervical spine imaging: digital versus film/screen radiographs

In 109 trauma patients, both film/screen and digital lateral cervical spine radiographs were obtained. These films were compared for adequate visualization ("readability") of bone, soft tissue, and airway, and lowest visualized cervical vertebra. With viewbox alone, digital adequately demonstrated bone, soft tissue, and airway more often than film/screen. With a hotlight, there was no significant difference between digital and film/screen in adequately demonstrating bone, but for soft tissue and airway definition, digital was significantly better. There was less interobserver and intraobserver variation on digital than in film/screen. There was no significant difference in lowest vertebra identified.