Thoracoabdominal computed tomography in trauma patients: a cost-consequences analysis.

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND:CT is increasingly used during the initial evaluation of blunt trauma patients. In this era of increasing cost-awareness, the pros and cons of CT have to be assessed. OBJECTIVES:This study was performed to evaluate cost-consequences of different diagnostic algorithms that use thoracoabdominal CT in primary evaluation of adult patients with high-energy blunt trauma. MATERIALS AND METHODS:We compared three different algorithms in which CT was applied as an immediate diagnostic tool (rush CT), a diagnostic tool after limited conventional work-up (routine CT), and a selective tool (selective CT). Probabilities of detecting and missing clinically relevant injuries were retrospectively derived. We collected data on radiation exposure and performed a micro-cost analysis on a reference

SUBMITTER: van Vugt R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4199298 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature