Criteria for the selective use of chest computed tomography in blunt trauma patients.

ABSTRACT:

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to derive parameters that predict which high-energy blunt trauma patients should undergo computed tomography (CT) for detection of chest injury.

Methods

This observational study prospectively included consecutive patients (>or=16 years old) who underwent multidetector CT of the chest after a high-energy mechanism of blunt trauma in one trauma centre.

Results

We included 1,047 patients (median age, 37; 70% male), of whom 508 had chest injuries identified by CT. Using logistic regression, we identified nine predictors of chest injury presence on CT (age >or=55 years, abnormal chest physical examination, altered sensorium, abnormal thoracic spine physical examination, abnormal chest conventional radiography (CR), abnormal thoracic sp

SUBMITTER: Brink M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC2835690 | biostudies-literature | 2010 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature