Data for "Locating the Seventh Cervical Spinous Process: Accuracy of the Thorax-Rib Static Method and the Effects of Clinical Data on Its Performance"

Data from 160 participants prospectively included for model development (n=80) and time-split validation stages (n=80) from a study aimed to identify the 7th cervical spinous process (C7SP) by applying a palpation test at the neck. A physiotherapist located the C7SP using the modified thorax-rib static method (MTRSM) and placed a radio-opaque, circular marker over the skin. After palpation, the assessor measured the distance between the vertex of the head to the centre of the marker (DV-C7, in cm). Participants underwent chest radiography as the gold-standard method. A radiologist, blinded to the study aim, examined the images and reported the location of the radio-opaque marker over the spine in the radiography. The continuous test result comprises the DV-C7, whereas the radiologist’s report was regarded as the dichotomous reference test.