C-1 and C-2 can be best visualized by:

Odontoid view "The lateral cervical spine x-ray is perhaps the single most impoant radiological study that can be obtained during an emergency evaluation, with the single exception of the admission chest x-ray to rule out major intrathoracic life-threatening injury. The next most impoant cervical spine x-ray is the odontoid view for assessment of the craniocervical junction; lateral cervical spine x-rays can miss nondisplaced fractures in this area."- Handbook of head and vine trauma By Jonathan Greenberg 1/e p428 The odontoid view is an AP view taken with the patient supine and his or her mouth open. The beam is directed into the open mouth toward the pharynx, and the film is placed posterior to the patient's cervical spine. The odontoid view is also called the "open-mouth" view because the patient's mouth is opened to move the maxilla, mandible, and teeth out of the way of the x-ray beam. This unique view is designed to demonstrate the odontoid and lateral masses of C Also Know: Best view to visualize C7 and T1____________ Swimmer's view