Due to increased use of computed tomography (CT) and ultrasonography, technological advances in equipment design, and increased availability of imaging equipment in the emergency department, imaging studies have revolutionized the assessment of the trauma patient in the past three decades. This review examines commonly used imaging modalities in trauma evaluation, initial and additional imaging, brief introduction to CT, and an overview of CT image processing and reviewing a CT scan. Head imaging, spine imaging, chest imaging, and abdominal and pelvic imaging are presented, along with injury grading, solid-organ injury appearances and specific abdominal solid-organ injuries, urinary system injury, penetrating trauma, unexplained intraperitoneal fluid, vascular injury and musculoskeletal injury. Figures show lateral view of the cervical spine; volume rendering of the pelvis; CT windows; CT imaging of acute intracranial bleeding, herniation in acute subdural hemorrhage, post-traumatic pseudoaneurysm of descending thoracic aorta, subscapular hematoma of the liver, liver laceration, pseudoaneurysm of the liver, shattered kidney and the nonperfused right kidney attributable to a traumatic renal artery injury, tigroid spleen, a focus of gas and stranding adjacent to the lateral wall of the ascending colon, extravasated urinary contrast (white material) surrounding the proximal right indicating ureteral laceration or transection, intraperitoneal bladder rupture, and contrast extravasation in the liver; magnetic resonance imaging versus CT of shear injuries; and magnetic resonance imaging in the setting of cervical spine trauma.
This review contains 18 highly rendered figures, 23 tables, and 83 references.
Keywords:Trauma, computed tomography, radiography, magnetic resonance imaging, ultrasonography, imaging study
Risks associated with magnetic resonance imaging and cervical collar in comatose, blunt trauma patients with negative comprehensive cervical spine computed tomography and no apparent spinal deficit
