Evaluation of abdominal trauma by computed tomography.

Abstract

Computed tomography (CT) was used in the evaluation of 100 patients suffering abdominal trauma. The type of trauma was blunt in 78 patients, penetrating in 8 and iatrogenic in 14. Of the 100 cases, 40% had normal CT scans, while 60% showed substantial abdominal or retroperitoneal injuries. Surgery, clinical follow-up and repeated radiologic examinations confirmed the accuracy of CT, and there were no cases in which medical or surgical management was inappropriately guided by CT. A wide variety of injuries was detected, including 19 splenic, 8 hepatic, 6 pancreatic, 13 renal, 13 retroperitoneal or abdominal wall, and 1 intraperitoneal. CT has major advantages over plain radiography, radionuclide imaging and angiography in assessment of trauma-induced injuries.