The next logical step in the emergency radiographic evaluation of cervical spine trauma: the five-view trauma series.

The five-view standard series is considered the golden standard in the radiographic evaluation of the cervical spine. Although the three-view trauma series has proved significantly more accurate than the cross-table lateral view in the emergency evaluation of patients with cervical spine trauma, this series does not deal with questionable findings. The introduction of a five-view trauma series, with the inclusion of supine oblique views, is the next logical step in the emergency evaluation of these patients. An algorithm for the emergency radiographic evaluation of patients with suspected cervical spine trauma is proposed.