The National Emergency X-Radiography Utilization Group (NEXUS) criteria are used to assess low-risk patients for cervical spine injury. Primarily it is a tool for evaluating whether radiological examination is required. Alongside the Canadian C-spine Rule (CCR), it is the most commonly used such tool.

A patient can be exempted from radiological study if the following criteria are fulfilled:

• No posterior midline cervical spine tenderness is present.
• No evidence of intoxication is present.
• The patient has a normal level of alertness.
• No focal neurologic deficit is present.
• The patient does not have a painful distracting injury.

There is an ongoing debate as to the comparative validity of NEXUS and the CCR. Please see the section on CCR for a comparison of these methods.

Source: Medscape