title: Clinical significance of conventional rib series in patients with minor thoracic trauma.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Conventional rib series (RS) represent a dedicated radiographic technique to visualize the bony parts of the chest wall. The method is commonly used to evaluate minor thoracic trauma, frequently in combination with chest radiographs (CRs). The aim of this study is to asses the clinical relevance of rib fractures diagnosed by RS in minor thoracic trauma.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective study of 669 patients who received RS for the evaluation of minor thoracic trauma. 405 of the 669 patients received an additional CR. Radiological reports were classified into fracture versus no fracture. Patients were divided into four groups depending on the clinical follow-up. The findings of RS and CR were analyzed using the McNemar test. The statistical significance between the results of the radiographic examinations and the clinical follow-up was analyzed by the Chi-Square test and the Kruskal-Wallis test.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We included 669 patients (61.4 % men, 38.6 % women, median age: 51 years, range: 13 - 92 years). Analyzing the reports of 669 patients who received RS, 157 (23.5 %) patients were diagnosed with at least one fractured rib while no fracture was found in 512 (76.5 %) patients. Considering the 157 patients with fractured ribs, 73 (46.8 %) had a single fracture, 38 (24.4 %) and two fractures and 45 (28.8 %) had more than two fractures. When assessing the 405 CRs, we detected 69 (17 %) fractures while the corresponding RS of the same patients revealed 87 (21.5 %) fractures (p < 0.05). Concerning all patients with rib fractures, 63.1 % received medical therapy, while 64.5 % of those patients without a radiologically documented fracture also received therapy (p = 0.25).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest a limited clinical value of detected rib fractures based on RS. Despite being superior compared to CR in diagnosing rib fractures, the results from RS seem to have no significant influence on further clinical management and therapeutic measures. Minor thoracic trauma should be evaluated by CR to exclude fracture-associated complications such as hemo- and pneumothorax.
authors.affiliation: Radiology, Asklepios Medical Center Bad Abbach.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hoffstetter
authors.affiliation: Radiology, Asklepios Medical Center Bad Abbach.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Dornia
authors.affiliation: Radiology, University Medical Center Regensburg.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Wagner
authors.affiliation: Rheumatology/Clinical Immonology, Asklepios Medical Center, Bad Abbach.
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Al Suwaidi
authors.affiliation: Radiology, University Medical Center Regensburg.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Niessen
authors.affiliation: Radiology, University Medical Center Regensburg.
authors.forename: L M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Dendl
authors.affiliation: Radiology, University Medical Center Regensburg.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Stroszczynski
authors.affiliation: Radiology, University Medical Center Regensburg.
authors.forename: A G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Schreyer
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012253:Rib Fractures / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000628:therapy; D012272:Ribs / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013898:Thoracic Injuries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000628:therapy; D055815:Young Adult