Aggressive use of "whole-body" CT scanning improves early diagnosis of injury and may even positively impact survival in polytrauma patients. However, the significance of radiation exposure with these studies must be considered, especially in patients with low energy mechanisms of injury and absent physical examination findings consistent with major trauma.
Conditions: Trauma
Diagnostic Tests: Computed Tomography Scan, CT Scanning
View PDF
Sources
- Ahmadinia K, Smucker JB, Nash CL, Vallier HA. Radiation exposure has increased in trauma patients over time. J Trauma Acute Care Surg. 2012 Feb;72(2):410-5. (PubMed)
- Huber-Wagner S, Lefering R, Qvick LM, Korner M, Kay MV, Pfeifer KJ, et al. Effect of whole-body CT during trauma resuscitation on survival: A retrospective, multicentre study. Lancet. 2009 Apr 25;373(9673):1455-61. (PubMed)
- Stengel D, Ottersbach C, Matthes G, Weigeldt M, Grundei S, Rademacher G, et al. Accuracy of single-pass whole-body computed tomography for detection of injuries in patients with major blunt trauma. CMAJ. 2012 May 15;184(8):869-76. (PubMed)
- Winslow JE, Hinshaw JW, Hughes MJ, Williams RC, Bozeman WP. Quantitative assessment of diagnostic radiation doses in adult blunt trauma patients. Ann Emerg Med. 2008 Aug;52(2):93-7. (PubMed)