Imaging of blunt chest trauma

In western European countries most blunt chest traumas are associated with motor vehicle and sport-related accidents. In Switzerland, 39 of 10,000 inhabitants were involved and severely injured in road accidents in 1998. Fifty two percent of them suffered from blunt chest trauma. According to the Swiss Federal Office of Statistics, traumas represented in men the fourth major cause of death (4 %) after cardiovascular disease (38 %), cancer (28 %), and respiratory disease (7 %) in 1998. The outcome of chest trauma patients is determined mainly by the severity of the lesions, the prompt appropriate treatment delivered on the scene of the accident, the time needed to transport the patient to a trauma center, and the immediate recognition of the lesions by a trained emergency team. Other determining factors include age as well as coexisting cardiac, pulmonary, and renal diseases. Our purpose was to review the wide spectrum of pathologies related to blunt chest trauma involving the chest wall, pleura, lungs, trachea and bronchi, aorta, aortic arch vessels, and diaphragm. A particular focus on the diagnostic impact of CT is demonstrated. Received: 29 November 1999; Accepted: 28 January 2000     

Tracheal rupture caused by blunt chest trauma: radiological and clinical features

The aim of this study was to assess radiomorphologic and clinical features of tracheal rupture due to blunt chest trauma. From 1992 until 1998 the radiomorphologic and clinical key findings of all consecutive tracheal ruptures were retrospectively analyzed. The study included ten patients (7 men and 3 women; mean age 35 years); all had pneumothoraces which were persistent despite suction drainage. Seven patients developed a pneumomediastinum as well as a subcutaneous emphysema on conventional chest X-rays. In five patients, one major hint leading to the diagnosis was a cervical emphysema, discovered on the lateral cervical spine view. Contrast-media-enhanced thoracic CT was obtained in all ten cases and showed additional injuries (atelectasis n = 5; lung contusion n = 4; lung laceration n = 2; hematothorax n = 2 and hematomediastinum n = 4). The definite diagnosis of tracheal rupture was made by bronchoscopy, which was obtained in all patients. Tracheal rupture due to blunt chest trauma occurs rarely. Key findings were all provided by conventional chest X-ray. Tracheal rupture is suspected in front of a pneumothorax, a pneumomediastinum, or a subcutaneous emphysema on lateral cervical spine and chest films. Routine thoracic CT could also demonstrate these findings but could not confirm the definite diagnosis of an tracheal rupture except in one case; in the other 9 cases this was done by bronchoscopy. Thus, bronchoscopy should be mandatory in all suspicious cases of tracheal rupture and remains the gold standard. Received: 22 February 1999; Revision received: 29 June 1999; Accepted: 1 July 1999     

Portal venous gas subsequent to blunt abdominal trauma

The clinical significance of portal venous gas within the liver following blunt abdominal trauma has been variable. Surgery is indicated when it is found with bowel necrosis due to post-traumatic vascular injury. It has also been found with non-emergent and transient causes of pneumatosis [1–8]. In this case report there was no evidence of bowel necrosis nor of bowel transection at surgery. Of additional interest is the uncommon central location of the portal venous gas within the liver.     

Blunt trauma to the chest--a case of delayed cardiac rupture

Blunt traumatic cardiac rupture is a relatively uncommon diagnosis and is usually associated with a high mortality rate. A case of delayed cardiac rupture is described in an elderly person who sustained blunt chest trauma following a fall into a roadside ditch. In the case reported herein, the preliminary investigations at the time of admission did not show any evidence of haemopericardium. The patient deteriorated suddenly, possibly due to a delayed rupture of the right ventricle that was diagnosed postmortem. Acute cardiac tamponade resulting from rupture of the right ventricle is a serious and life threatening state. A high index of suspicion about the possibility of delayed cardiac rupture is required during the management of a case of polytrauma where significant cardiac findings can be masked by the presence of other injuries.     

Traumatic left main coronary artery dissection in a young adult following blunt chest trauma – A case report

Blunt chest trauma may cause variable degrees of thoracic injuries. Most of the patients may remain asymptomatic after sustaining blunt chest trauma. But in rare instances, life-threatening conditions such as coronary artery dissection may occur. The authors present a 29-year-old male adult with persistent chest pain following blunt trauma with a rise in cardiac troponins and elevated ST segment in ECG. Coronary CT and conventional angiography demonstrated dissection of the left main coronary artery. It is deemed necessary to suspect cardiac injury in patients with a history of blunt chest trauma in appropriate clinical settings. Early recognition of coronary artery dissection is vital to reduce morbidity and mortality. ECG combined with cardiac enzymes can be essential tools helping the physicians raise the suspicion towards a cardiac injury followed by cross-sectional and conventional angiographies for confirmation.     

钝性胸部伤早期救治中64排螺旋CT的应用

目的探讨64排螺旋CT在钝性胸部伤早期救治中的作用。方法回顾性分析2006年1月以来收治的170例钝性胸部伤，单纯胸部伤74例，多发伤96例，胸部伤AIS2—4分，平均3．2分；多发伤ISS11～34分，平均24．6分。其中到院后3小时内64排螺旋CT检查160例，平均8分钟。结果诊断肺挫伤117例，肺挫裂伤及肺内血肿19例，肺不张24例，血胸67例，气胸45例，血气胸52例，纵隔血肿7例，纵隔积气8例，皮下气肿25例，膈疝17例，肋骨骨折103例，连枷胸34例。143例（84．1％）经非手术处理，其中43例行胸腔闭式引流术，22例行机械呼吸支持。紧急剖胸手术27例（15．9％）。治愈161例，死亡9例（5．3％）。结论胸部钝性伤初次评价在有条件时应首选采用64排螺旋CT扫描。     

Subcutaneous disruption of the chest wall from seat-belt trauma

We report a case of seat-belt injury in a 10-year-old girl who had total subcutaneous disruption of her anterior chest wall. She had a tear of her pericardium and subsequent herniation of her heart into the left hemithorax through the pericardial defect. The skin was intact, and masked the true extent of the problem. She also had injuries to her cervical spine, liver, spleen, and adrenal gland. The patient recovered completely except for mild upper extremity paresis secondary to cervical cord trauma.     

钝性胸部伤早期救治中64排螺旋CT的应用

目的 探讨64排螺旋CT在钝性胸部伤早期救治中的作用.方法 回顾性分析2006年1月以来收治的170例钝性胸部伤,单纯胸部伤74例,多发伤96例,胸部伤AIS 2～4分,平均3.2分;多发伤 ISS 11～34分,平均24.6分.其中到院后3小时内64排螺旋CT检查160例,平均8分钟.结果 诊断肺挫伤117例,肺挫裂伤及肺内血肿19例,肺不张24例,血胸67例,气胸45例,血气胸52例,纵隔血肿7例,纵隔积气8例,皮下气肿25例,膈疝17例,肋骨骨折103 例,连枷胸34例.143例(84.1%)经非手术处理,其中43例行胸腔闭式引流术,22例行机械呼吸支持.紧急剖胸手术27例(15.9%).治愈161例,死亡9例(5.3%).结论 胸部钝性伤初次评价在有条件时应首选采用64排螺旋CT扫描.     

Blunt nonaortic chest trauma: radiographic and CT findings

Following initial clinical evaluation and stabilization of a patient who has sustained blunt chest trauma, imaging has an important role in the evaluation of thoracic injuries. The initial study is the chest radiograph. However, chest CT is being used with increased frequency in the evaluation of blunt chest trauma. Although CT is used primarily to assess for traumatic aortic injuries, it is also useful in the evaluation of pulmonary and bronchial, airway, skeletal and diaphragmatic injury. The aim of this article is to review the characteristic imaging findings of pulmonary and bronchial, esophageal, thoracic, skeletal and diaphragmatic injuries. Electronic Publication     

Early bilateral pulmonary embolism following a moderate blunt chest trauma: A case report

Post-traumatic pulmonary embolism (PE) remains a major problem in cardio-pulmonary diseases and represent the third most common cause of death in trauma patients. Traditional PE occur most commonly between the fifth and the seventh day after a major trauma and are rare before the fourth day. Here, we report a case of acute pulmonary embolism developing 1 day after a moderate thoracic injury in a previously well young man. The diagnosis was made by non-invasive methods and the patient was given anticoagulation therapy with good outcome. The circumstances and the early occurrence of PE in this case is at odds with what is generally reported after trauma.     

CT of blunt pancreatic trauma: a pictorial essay

Blunt trauma to pancreas is uncommon and clinical features are often non-specific and unreliable leading to possible delays in diagnosis and therefore increased morbidity. CT has been established as the imaging modality of choice for the diagnosis of abdominal solid-organ injury in the blunt trauma patient. The introduction of multidetector-row CT allows for high resolution scans and multiplanar reformations that improve diagnosis. Detection of pancreatic injuries on CT requires knowledge of the subtle changes produced by pancreatic injury. The CT appearance of pancreatic injury ranges from a normal initial appearance of the pancreas to active pancreatic bleeding. Knowledge of CT signs of pancreatic trauma and a high index of suspicion is required in diagnosing pancreatic injury.     

Thoracic computed tomography in victims of blunt trauma: changes in utilization after the introduction of helical technology

Purpose: In blunt trauma, CT of the thorax is often performed because of the limitations of plain film chest radiography in accurately depicting injuries to the thoracic aorta. The advent of helical CT has allowed the entire chest to be imaged more expeditiously. We will evaluate the extent to which this ability to rapidly obtain additional images of the thorax has increased the utilization of chest CT in blunt trauma. Methods: The radiologic records of all victims of blunt trauma who underwent total body CT (TBCT), which included abdomen, pelvis, and chest images, in the 10 months before and 10 months after our institution acquired helical CT (HCT), were retrospectively evaluated. Results: In the 10 months before we obtained HCT, 520 conventional CT of the abdomen and pelvis were completed, of which only 11 (2.1 %) included images of the full thorax. After HCT was instituted, 684 abdomen and pelvis CT were performed, of which 59 (8.6 %) were ordered with the entire chest. Of the 11 conventional TBCT, 6 (55 %) showed findings in the chest; in 2 of these cases (18 %) the abnormalities were confined exclusively to the thorax. Similarly, of the 59 helical TBCT, 31 (53 %) depicted traumatic abnormalities in the thorax, and in 23 of these cases (39 %) injuries were only within the chest. In 4 of the latter the injuries were mediastinal hematomas, 1 of which (25 %) was confirmed angiographically to represent an aortic laceration. Conclusion: The speed and ease with which additional images can be obtained by HCT has greatly increased utilization of cross-sectional imaging of the thorax after blunt trauma (approximately four-fold). Over half of these depict traumatic injuries.     

Odontoid fractures following blunt trauma

Fractures of the odontoid process typically result from forceful blunt trauma. They often produce instability of the cervical spine, and may be associated with neurologic impairment. This study was designed to examine the epidemiology and demographics of odontoid injuries, including their incidence and prevalence relative to other spine injuries, the prevalence of associated injuries, and the likelihood of neurologic impairment. Of 34,069 enrolled blunt trauma victims, 818 (2.4 %) sustained a cervical spine injury, 94 of whom had a fracture of the odontoid. The relative prevalence of odontoid fractures varied by age, ranging from less than 3 % among individuals under age 20 years, to greater than 20 % in patients over 80 years old. Classification by Anderson–D'Alonzo criteria revealed 6 type I injuries, 60 type II injuries, and 27 type III injuries; one vertical injury could not be categorized. Over half of the odontoid fracture victims sustained additional cervical spine injuries, with 90 % of these injuries involving the atlanto-axial complex. In addition, non-spine-related injuries were found in 52 % of odontoid injury victims, over one-third (34 %) presented with an altered level of alertness, and almost one-quarter (23 %) exhibited some form of focal neurologic deficit associated with their injury. Fractures of the odontoid are among the most frequently encountered cervical spine injuries, and increase in prevalence with increasing patient age. Odontoid fracture victims often have other spine injuries, particularly to the atlanto-axial complex, and may harbor other non-spine-related injuries and neurologic pathology.     

Gastric pneumatosis and portal vein gas: incidental findings at helical CT after blunt abdominal trauma

Gastric pneumatosis is a rare form of intestinal pneumatosis related to a wide range of abnormalities, which by itself may not engender adverse consequences. Portal vein gas, on the other hand, has traditionally been regarded as a life-threatening condition associated with mesenteric ischemia and immediate surgery; however, recent observations have demonstrated a greater spectrum of etiologies associated with portal vein gas in which the prognosis seems to be more favorable and surgery is not necessary. We report the case of a 42-year-old man who developed gastric pneumatosis and portal vein gas after major abdominal trauma. The patient was conservatively treated. Follow-up CT performed 4 days later revealed that portal vein gas and gastric pneumatosis had resolved spontaneously.     

Standardized whole-body computed tomography as a screening tool in blunt multitrauma patients

The authors present the potential of using a preset CT protocol covering the whole body of the patient who has suffered blunt trauma to screen for injuries, based on a review of the literature and on 4 years' direct experience. Standardized whole-body CT is the fastest method of examining the whole body, capable of detecting a wide variety of traumatic lesions with a high sensitivity and specificity. Multidetector CT allows a full-body examination to be completed within 5 min, thus minimizing time to diagnosis and the institution of definitive clinical care. Current imaging algorithms that include abdominal ultrasonography and plain radiographic studies need to be reassessed in view of the technical advances in CT diagnosis, but should ultimately depend on the particular imaging capabilities and experience of a given trauma center.     

The cost-effectiveness of routine pelvic radiography in the evaluation of blunt trauma patients

Objective. To determine the cost-effectiveness of routine protocol-driven pelvic radiography in the evaluation of blunt trauma patients. Design and patients. A retrospective review was performed on 319 blunt trauma patients who underwent protocol-driven pelvic radiography to record the frequency of pelvic fracture. Medical records of the patients in whom fractures were identified radiographically were then examined to determine the clinical suspicion of injury prior to radiography. Using Medicare reimbursement data, the cost-effectiveness of routine pelvic radiography was calculated in terms cost per pelvic radiograph with evidence of fracture. These values were then compared with literature values of other screening studies, namely mammography and colonoscopy. Results. Thirty-eight of 319 patients (11.9%) were found to have fractures identified on routine pelvic radiography. Using the 1997 Medicare reimbursement charge of $27.79 for a single anteroposterior radiograph of the pelvis, the total cost of performing these 319 trauma protocol-driven studies was calculated as $8865.01. The cost per protocol-driven pelvic radiograph with evidence of pelvic fracture was subsequently determined to be $233.29. Only 18 (47.4%) of these 38 patients were suspected to have pelvic fracture on the basis of the clinical findings alone. Conclusions. Trauma protocol-driven pelvic radiography is a necessary and cost-effective means of identifying acute pelvic injury in all trauma patients regardless of clinical presentation. Received: 20 April 1998 Revision requested: 2 June 1998 Revision received: 3 February 1999 Accepted: 22 February 1999     

Intestinal stenosis from mesenteric injury after blunt abdominal trauma

We report a case in which blunt abdominal trauma resulted in injury to the mesentery with subsequent ischemic stricture of the adjacent small bowel. We present CT images at the time of trauma and 5 weeks later when clinical signs of intestinal obstruction occurred. We include images of enteroclysis and angiography of this uncommon sequela of blunt abdominal trauma. At surgery, a stenotic small bowel loop was found adjacent to a healed defect in the mesentery. Histological examination of the resected segment showed mucosal and submucosal ischemia with mucosal ulceration, mural inflammation, and fibrosis. Posttraumatic intestinal stenosis subsequent to a mesenteric tear should be included in the differential diagnosis in a patient with a history of blunt abdominal trauma and signs of intestinal obstruction. Received: 10 July 1998; Revision received: 14 October 1998; Accepted: 18 November 1998     

Oblique radiographs of the chest in nonaccidental trauma

Purpose: Oblique radiographs of the chest were added to our skeletal survey for nonaccidental trauma to determine if these views improved our ability to diagnose rib fractures accurately. Methods: Seventy-three patients were evaluated with skeletal surveys for suspected child abuse. The chest films were reviewed independently by three radiologists as two separate sets, one with the frontal and lateral views only and one including the two oblique views. At the end of the study, consensus readings of all two- and four-view sets were reached and used as the true interpretations. Results: In 14 patients, positive rib fractures were identified by consensus. The accuracy, sensitivity, and specificity for each radiologist were greater with the four-view sets than with the two-view sets. In some children, rib fractures considered equivocal by two-view evaluation were called confidently as positive or negative with the additional views. Conclusion: The addition of oblique radiographs improves rib fracture evaluation in children suspected of having suffered nonaccidental trauma, increasing sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy as well as the radiologists' confidence.     

Significance of backboard artifacts on portable trauma series chest radiographs

Purpose: To evaluate the degree to which the artifacts created by the radio-opaque components of a backboard obscure the findings on the initial trauma series chest radiograph (BBCXR). Methods: We reviewed 40 consecutive trauma victims admitted to our level I trauma center over a 3-month period who underwent a follow-up portable supine chest radiograph (PCXR) off the backboard no longer than 1 h after the initial trauma BBCXR. The original interpretation of the BBCXR was compared to the reading of the PCXR as well as to a retrospective analysis of the BBCXR performed by two radiologists blinded as to the findings on the original report. Results: The initial interpretation of the BBCXR failed to identify abnormalities reported in the follow-up PCXR of 10 individuals (25 %), most frequently bone fractures, misplaced hardware, and pleural effusions. Of these missed abnormalities, 80 % were identified retrospectively. Conversely, the initial reading of the BBCXR described a widened mediastinum in five cases, right upper lobe opacities in two, and cardiomegaly in one. Of these eight reported findings, only five (63 %) – the cardiomegaly and four of the mediastinal abnormalities – were also reported upon retrospective analysis, while the PCXR taken with the patient off the backboard confirmed widened mediastinum in only three cases. Conclusions: The initial, often hurried reading of a portable chest radiograph taken on a backboard as part of a trauma series often misses significant pathology, most of which can be detected upon more thorough examination of the original film. The backboard also tends to magnify mediastinal structures more than routine PCXR. Therefore, we advocate a more cautious analysis of the original BBCXR and routine utilization of a follow-up PCXR to confirm mediastinal abnormalities.