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NEXUS criteria for C-spine imaging








NEXUS Criteria for C-Spine Imaging

Determines who can be cleared clinically of cervical spine fracture without imaging, by NEXUS study criteria.


Focal Neurologic Deficit Present?
Midline Spinal Tenderness Present?
Altered Level of Consciousness Present?
Intoxication Present?
Distracting Injury Present?
Patient has none of these,If none of the above criteria are present, the C-Spine can be cleared clinically by these criteria. Imaging is not required

If any of the above criteria are present, the C-Spine cannot be cleared clinically by these criteria. Imaging is required

One easy mnemonic for these criteria is NSAID:
  • Neuro Deficit
  • Spinal Tenderness (Midline)
  • Altered Mental Status/Level of Consciousness
  • Intoxication
  • Distracting Injury


  • Hoffman JR, Wolfson AB, Todd K, Mower WR. Selective cervical spine radiography in blunt trauma: methodology of the National Emergency X-Radiography Utilization Study (NEXUS). Ann Emerg Med. 1998 Oct;32(4):461-9. PubMed PMID: 9774931.
  • Hoffman JR, Mower WR, Wolfson AB, Todd KH, Zucker MI. Validity of a set of clinical criteria to rule out injury to the cervical spine in patients with blunt trauma. National Emergency X-Radiography Utilization Study Group. N Engl J Med. 2000 Jul 13;343(2):94-9. Erratum in: N Engl J Med 2001 Feb 8;344(6):464. PubMed PMID: 10891516.
  • Stiell IG, Clement CM, McKnight RD, Brison R, Schull MJ, Rowe BH, Worthington JR, Eisenhauer MA, Cass D, Greenberg G, MacPhail I, Dreyer J, Lee JS, Bandiera G, Reardon M, Holroyd B, Lesiuk H, Wells GA. The Canadian C-spine rule versus the NEXUS low-risk criteria in patients with trauma. N Engl J Med. 2003 Dec 25;349(26):2510-8. PubMed PMID: 14695411.


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Comments

  1. AnonymousNovember 21, 2012 at 11:19 PM

    Thanks for posting about Spine Imaging. It is certainly one of the most thriving techniques in Radiology. Also the career opportunities in this industry are just amazing!

    ReplyDelete

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