CoreFull access
Trauma and Emergency Response
Move the tube and receptor, not the patient, and keep immobilization on until a physician clears the spine.
The rule
A trauma patient must be imaged without making any injury worse. Leave cervical collars, backboards, and splints in place until a physician has cleared the spine or ordered them removed. Do not rotate an injured limb or roll the patient into a routine position. Instead, adapt: move the x-ray tube and the receptor around the patient. Speed matters, but so does getting the image right the first time.