03/23/2026
A review of published guidelines suggests that if a person involved in a MVC presents to the ER awake, alert, with no neurological deficit or other distracting injury, with no neck pain or midline tenderness, and has a full range of neck motion, then x-ray is not considered necessary. If a fracture is suspected, an x-ray and/or CT (Computerized Tomography) scan is appropriate. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has a role when a soft tissue injury such as a ligament tear, spinal cord injury, and/or arterial injury is suspected by clinical impression and/or prior imaging.
https://chiro-trust.org/whiplash/whiplash-will-x-ray-tell/