title: Blunt traumatic rupture of the diaphragm: sonographic diagnosis.
abstract: Ultrasonographic features of seven patients with diaphragmatic rupture due to blunt trauma were analyzed. The ruptures occurred at the left hemidiaphragm in four patients and at the right in three. Direct ultrasonographic findings were as follows: disrupted diaphragm in four patients; nonvisualized diaphragm in three patients; floating diaphragm in two patients; and herniation of the liver or bowel loops through the diaphragmatic defect in three patients. Indirect sonographic findings included pleural effusion or subphrenic fluid collection in five patients and splenic laceration in one. Although the number of patients was limited, ultrasonography was very useful for the diagnosis of diaphragmatic rupture.
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Kangnam St. Mary's Hospital, Catholic University Medical College, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: H H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Y R
authors.initials: YR
authors.lastname: Shin
authors.forename: K J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: S S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Hwang
authors.forename: H K
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Ha
authors.forename: J Y
authors.initials: JY
authors.lastname: Byun
authors.forename: K H
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: K S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Shinn
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003964:Diaphragm / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000293:injuries*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011859:Radiography; D012421:Rupture; D014463:Ultrasonography; D014949:Wounds, Nonpenetrating / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*