In simple words: This is an X-ray of your neck. The doctor will take four or five pictures of the bones in your neck to look for any problems like unusual curves, broken bones, or signs of cancer. You'll need to hold your breath for a moment while each picture is taken.

This procedure involves taking four or five X-ray images of the cervical spine (neck) to examine the vertebrae for conditions such as abnormal curves, fractures, or cancer. The patient holds their breath while the images are taken. Dense body parts like bones appear white on the X-ray, and softer tissues appear darker.

Example 1: A patient presents to the emergency department after a motor vehicle accident with neck pain. A four-view cervical spine X-ray series (72050) is ordered to assess for fractures., A patient with chronic neck pain and suspected cervical radiculopathy undergoes a five-view cervical spine X-ray (72050) to evaluate for degenerative changes, such as osteoarthritis or disc herniation., A patient with a history of cancer presents with new neck pain and neurological symptoms. A five-view cervical spine X-ray series (72050) is ordered to assess for possible metastasis to the cervical spine.

Documentation should include the reason for the examination, the number and type of views obtained (e.g., AP, lateral, oblique), and the radiologist's interpretation of the images, including any relevant findings.