Appropriateness of CT of the chest, abdomen, and pelvis in motorized blunt force trauma patients without signs of significant injury. 2011

Noam Ze'ev Millo, and Chris Plewes, and Brian H Rowe, and Gavin Low
Department of Radiology and Diagnostic Imaging, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada. millo@ualberta.ca

OBJECTIVE The purpose of this article is to determine the frequency of clinically significant injuries detected on CT of the chest, abdomen, and pelvis in adult patients involved in motorized blunt force trauma with normal clinical examinations. METHODS A retrospective review of the medical records of patients presenting with a triage history of motorized blunt force trauma who underwent CT of the chest, abdomen, and pelvis at the time of presentation was performed. Hemodynamically stable adult patients without abnormal physical examination findings to suggest injury of the trunk (e.g., tenderness, deformity, or bruising over the chest, abdomen, or pelvis) were included in the study. The formal report of the CT scan was reviewed and all acute injuries were recorded. Admission and discharge dates and surgical interventions were also recorded. RESULTS Records for 542 patients were reviewed; 108 patients (74 men and 34 women; median age, 36 years) fulfilled the inclusion criteria. Eleven of the 108 patients (10%; 95% CI, 4.4-15.6%) had acute injuries detected on CT of the chest, abdomen, and pelvis. None of the injuries required direct medical intervention. Alcohol intoxication or distracting injuries were present in eight of these patients. The median time in hospital, from emergency department presentation to discharge, was 4.4 days (interquartile range, 2.5-8.5 days) for patients who were admitted and 6.7 hours (interquartile range, 4.8-10.3 hours) for those who were discharged. CONCLUSIONS The clinical yield of performing CT of the chest, abdomen, and pelvis in motorized blunt trauma patients with normal clinical examinations in our study was minimal.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007472 Iohexol An effective non-ionic, water-soluble contrast agent which is used in myelography, arthrography, nephroangiography, arteriography, and other radiographic procedures. Its low systemic toxicity is the combined result of low chemotoxicity and low osmolality. Compound 545,Exypaque,Iohexol 350,Nycodenz,Omnipaque
D008297 Male Males
D008875 Middle Aged An adult aged 45 - 64 years. Middle Age
D010388 Pelvis The space or compartment surrounded by the pelvic girdle (bony pelvis). It is subdivided into the greater pelvis and LESSER PELVIS. The pelvic girdle is formed by the PELVIC BONES and SACRUM. Pelvic Region,Region, Pelvic
D003287 Contrast Media Substances used to allow enhanced visualization of tissues. Radiopaque Media,Contrast Agent,Contrast Agents,Contrast Material,Contrast Materials,Radiocontrast Agent,Radiocontrast Agents,Radiocontrast Media,Agent, Contrast,Agent, Radiocontrast,Agents, Contrast,Agents, Radiocontrast,Material, Contrast,Materials, Contrast,Media, Contrast,Media, Radiocontrast,Media, Radiopaque
D005260 Female Females
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000007 Abdominal Injuries General or unspecified injuries involving organs in the abdominal cavity. Injuries, Abdominal,Abdominal Injury,Injury, Abdominal
D000063 Accidents, Traffic Accidents on streets, roads, and highways involving drivers, passengers, pedestrians, or vehicles. Traffic accidents refer to AUTOMOBILES (passenger cars, buses, and trucks), BICYCLING, and MOTORCYCLES but not OFF-ROAD MOTOR VEHICLES; RAILROADS nor snowmobiles. Traffic Collisions,Traffic Crashes,Traffic Accidents,Accident, Traffic,Collision, Traffic,Collisions, Traffic,Crashes, Traffic,Traffic Accident,Traffic Collision
D000293 Adolescent A person 13 to 18 years of age. Adolescence,Youth,Adolescents,Adolescents, Female,Adolescents, Male,Teenagers,Teens,Adolescent, Female,Adolescent, Male,Female Adolescent,Female Adolescents,Male Adolescent,Male Adolescents,Teen,Teenager,Youths

Related Publications

Noam Ze'ev Millo, and Chris Plewes, and Brian H Rowe, and Gavin Low
December 1989, The Western journal of medicine,
Noam Ze'ev Millo, and Chris Plewes, and Brian H Rowe, and Gavin Low
July 2015, Urology case reports,
Noam Ze'ev Millo, and Chris Plewes, and Brian H Rowe, and Gavin Low
January 2011, Radiographics : a review publication of the Radiological Society of North America, Inc,
Noam Ze'ev Millo, and Chris Plewes, and Brian H Rowe, and Gavin Low
June 2009, Pediatric radiology,
Noam Ze'ev Millo, and Chris Plewes, and Brian H Rowe, and Gavin Low
August 2012, Emergency radiology,
Noam Ze'ev Millo, and Chris Plewes, and Brian H Rowe, and Gavin Low
November 2020, Journal of the American College of Radiology : JACR,
Noam Ze'ev Millo, and Chris Plewes, and Brian H Rowe, and Gavin Low
April 2014, Journal of the American College of Radiology : JACR,
Noam Ze'ev Millo, and Chris Plewes, and Brian H Rowe, and Gavin Low
June 1972, The Surgical clinics of North America,
Noam Ze'ev Millo, and Chris Plewes, and Brian H Rowe, and Gavin Low
July 1990, AJR. American journal of roentgenology,
Noam Ze'ev Millo, and Chris Plewes, and Brian H Rowe, and Gavin Low
January 1990, AJR. American journal of roentgenology,
Copied contents to your clipboard!