Evaluating the role of ultrasound in chest trauma: Common complications and computed tomography comparative evaluation

Objective

to establish the role of transthoracic ultrasound as a bed-side, available, and affordable technique for imaging chest trauma patients and compared its sensitivity, specificity and accuracy for detecting chest trauma sequelae and complications to those of CT.

Patients and methods

This study included 107 cases. All patients had chest trauma or polytrauma with chest involvement. Transthoracic ultrasound and MSCT of the chest were evaluated. The results were assessed and compared by statistical analysis.

Results

Of the injuries, 13.1% were penetrating, and 86.9% were blunt trauma. With CT as the standard, the most common injury US detected injury was pleural in 60.7% of patients, with diagnostic accuracy of 93.4%. Parenchymal lesions were found in 39.3% of patients with a 64.4% US diagnostic accuracy. Chest wall lesions were found in 15.9% of patients with an 89.7% accuracy, and mediastinal lesions were detected in 9.3% with a 94.3% accuracy.

Conclusion

Chest ultrasonography has significant value for diagnosing complications of blunt and penetrating chest trauma with acceptable sensitivity and high specificity, particularly for pleural lesions and rib fractures. Ultrasound overcomes the difficulties involved in radiological examinations of small children and uncooperative patients.