What should be avoided to get high-quality cervical spine images with minimal distortion?

To obtain high-quality cervical spine images with minimal distortion, it is crucial to avoid patient rotation during the imaging process. Patient rotation can lead to misalignment of the cervical vertebrae in the images, which results in artifacts and can obscure essential anatomical details. Proper positioning directly impacts the accuracy of the resulting images, and any tilt or rotation can distort the cervical spine's structure, making it more challenging for radiologists to interpret the images accurately.

While other factors like excessive beam filtration, low exposure settings, and patient movement also play significant roles in image quality, avoiding patient rotation is specifically critical for achieving optimal alignment and clarity of the cervical spine anatomy in the images.