Evaluation of the patient with spinal trauma and back pain: an evidence based approach.
The evaluation of spinal trauma and neck or back pain remains one of the most important and most common assessments in emergency medicine. This article provides an overview of an evidence based approach to this situation, and argues that appropriate use of imaging studies can reduce waste and better mitigate devastating outcomes to the patient.
Petri
R
R
Division of Emergency Medicine, Northwestern University Medical School, Chicago, Illinois, USA.
Gimbel
R
R
D000328:Adult; D003661:Decision Support Techniques; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging; D006801:Humans; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000209:etiology; D013119:Spinal Cord Injuries / Q000175:diagnosis*; D017749:Total Quality Management