The Frequency and Significance of Thoracic Injuries Detected on Abdominal CT Scans of Multiple Trauma Patients

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
Of 174 multiple trauma patients undergoing abdominal CT examination for suscepted abdominal trauma, 65 patients had 109 chest injuries detected by abdominal CT, chest film, or both examinations. Forty-one patients had 55 chest injuries at the base of the thorax which were not detected on the initial chest film. The most frequent chest injuries detected only by CT were pneumothorax, fracture (rib, thoracic spine, and sternum), lung contusion, aspiration pneumonia, hemothorax, and post-traumatic atelectasis. Seven patients whose chest injury initially was seen only at abdominal CT required treatment of the injury, suggesting that a variety of chest injuries which may vitally affect patients can be detected early in multiple trauma patients by abdominal CT, and that all abdominal trauma CT scans should be dscrutinized for signs of a chest injury.

This publication has 3 references indexed in Scilit: