Screening protocol s have high predictive values to detect cervical spine fracture in alert , low-risk patients seeking emergency care after blunt neck trauma .
Computerized tomography ( CT ) scans had better validity ( in adults and elderly ) than radiographs in assessing high-risk and /or multi-injured blunt trauma neck patients .
In the absence of serious pathology , clinical physical examinations are more predictive at excluding than confirming structural lesions causing neurologic compression .
One exception is the manual provocation test for cervical radiculopathy , which has high positive predictive value .
There was no evidence that specific MRI findings are associated with neck pain , cervicogenic headache , or whiplash exposure .
No evidence supports using cervical provocative discography , anesthetic facet , or medial branch blocks in evaluating neck pain .
Reliable and valid self-report question naires are useful in assessing pain , function , disability , and psychosocial status in individuals with neck pain .
CONCLUSION The scientific evidence supports screening protocol s in emergency care for low-risk patients ; and CT-scans for high-risk patients with blunt trauma to the neck .
In nonemergency neck pain without radiculopathy , the validity of most commonly used objective tests is lacking .
OBJECTIVE To critically appraise and synthesize the literature on assessment of  neck pain .
SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA The published literature on assessment of neck pain is large and of variable quality .
There have been no prior systematic review s of this literature .
Cervical Spine Outcomes Questionnaire: Its Development and Psychometric Properties
Study Design . A cross-sectional study was conducted to analyze a convenience sample of patients seeking treatment for cervical spine conditions . Objective . To develop and evaluate the psychometric properties of a comprehensive , disease-specific question naire for characterizing complaints of neck pain and evaluating the outcomes of treatments for these complaints . Summary of Background Data . There currently are a number of generic and disease-specific instruments for assessing complaints of neck pain . None comprehensively cover the wide range of factors considered essential in evaluating treatment outcomes . Methods . The authors developed a comprehensive , disease-specific question naire for characterizing complaints of neck pain and evaluating the outcomes of treatments for these complaints . In this study , 216 patients who underwent surgery for cervical spine disorders completed the Cervical Spine Outcomes Question naire before treatment , then at 3 and 6 months after treatment . The data were used to evaluate the reliability , validity , and responsiveness of the question naire . Results . The authors have shown that the Cervical Spine Outcomes Question naire has high test – retest reliability , good construct validity , and responsiveness to change after treatment . Conclusions . The Cervical Spine Outcomes Question naire is a comprehensive , disease-specific instrument for assessing complaints of neck pain and evaluating the outcomes of treatments for these complaints . It provides information on demographics , pain severity , functional disability , psychological distress , physical symptoms , health care utilization , and satisfaction . It appears to be acceptable to patients , easy to administer , highly reliable , valid , and responsive . It should be considered for use in monitoring patients with cervical spine conditions and in studies of cervical spine disorders and their treatments
Screening protocol s have high predictive values to detect cervical spine fracture in alert , low-risk patients seeking emergency care after blunt neck trauma .
Computerized tomography ( CT ) scans had better validity ( in adults and elderly ) than radiographs in assessing high-risk and /or multi-injured blunt trauma neck patients .
In the absence of serious pathology , clinical physical examinations are more predictive at excluding than confirming structural lesions causing neurologic compression .
One exception is the manual provocation test for cervical radiculopathy , which has high positive predictive value .
There was no evidence that specific MRI findings are associated with neck pain , cervicogenic headache , or whiplash exposure .
No evidence supports using cervical provocative discography , anesthetic facet , or medial branch blocks in evaluating neck pain .
Reliable and valid self-report question naires are useful in assessing pain , function , disability , and psychosocial status in individuals with neck pain .
CONCLUSION The scientific evidence supports screening protocol s in emergency care for low-risk patients ; and CT-scans for high-risk patients with blunt trauma to the neck .
In nonemergency neck pain without radiculopathy , the validity of most commonly used objective tests is lacking .
OBJECTIVE To critically appraise and synthesize the literature on assessment of  neck pain .
SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA The published literature on assessment of neck pain is large and of variable quality .
There have been no prior systematic review s of this literature .