title: Computed tomography in blunt chest trauma.
abstract: While most injuries to the chest can be diagnosed by a portable supine radiograph, computed tomography (CT) adds significant findings that will influence patient management. In addition to requested CT chest examinations, we routinely obtain a limited chest CT during the initial work-up of traumatized patients referred to our radiology department for other CT examinations. The major categories of new information provided by CT are: occult pneumothorax, malpositon of chest tubes, inadequately drained pleural collections, differentiating between posttraumatic abscess and empyema, noninvasive diagnosis of tracheal rupture, and cause of mediastinal widening.
mesh_terms: D001011:Aorta / Q000293:injuries; D003964:Diaphragm / Q000293:injuries; D006491:Hemothorax / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D055370:Lung Injury; D008482:Mediastinum / Q000293:injuries; D011030:Pneumothorax / Q000209:etiology; D012128:Respiratory Distress Syndrome / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D013898:Thoracic Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014132:Trachea / Q000293:injuries; D014949:Wounds, Nonpenetrating / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*