Patent ID: 7013171

Claim:
A method of diagnosing injuries of the cervical vertebrae in the neck of a patient, said method comprising the steps of: providing an extension support pad; positioning the neck of a patient upon the extension support pad such that the cervical vertebrae are positioned in extension, whereby a central portion of the patient's neck does not contact the extension support pad; providing medical imaging equipment and imaging the cervical vertebrae to produce an image of the cervical vertebrae in extension; providing a flexion support pad; positioning the neck of a patient upon the flexion support pad such that the cervical vertebrae are positioned in flexion, whereby a central portion of the patient's neck does not contact the flexion support pad; imaging the cervical vertebrae to produce an image of the cervical vertebrae in flexion; and comparing the flexion image and the extension image to produce a diagnosis of injury to the cervical vertebrae.