title: [Abdominal polytrauma and parenchymal organs].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The acute radiological diagnostics of polytrauma patients has become an essential part of the interdisciplinary treatment in the emergency room. The incidence of polytrauma patients with an injury severity score (ISS) >16 is approximately 450 cases/million inhabitants/year in Europe. Injuries of the parenchymal organs are of utmost importance for the prognosis and treatment of these patients. The injury patterns are complex and a great deal of experience is necessary to be able to obtain the correct diagnosis within minutes. This review article deals with the radiological diagnostics and grading of the severity of injuries to the spleen, liver, pancreas and kidneys.
  
  
  METHODS
  The use of ultrasound for the evaluation of polytraumatized patients will be discussed. The most important trauma-associated findings for the above mentioned organs using multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) will be described and illustrated by dedicated case findings.
  Ultrasound contrast agents can supply valuable, additional diagnostic information in the evaluation of polytraumatized patients. Computed tomography has become established as the most relevant imaging modality in severe trauma. Innovative organ-adapted and contrast application protocols improve the diagnostic performance of MDCT.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The use of focused assessment sonography for trauma (FAST) scanning as a screening tool is in agreement with the other clinical disciplines of the trauma team. The use of MDCT is trauma-dependent and the classification of the severity of the different parenchymal organ injuries is ultimately decisive for further treatment and prognosis of trauma victims.
authors.affiliation: Abteilung für Allgemeine Radiologie und Kinderradiologie, Klinik für Radiologie und Nuklearmedizin, Medizinische Universität Wien AKH, Währinger Gürtel 18-20, 1090, Wien, Österreich, christian.krestan@meduniwien.ac.at.
authors.forename: C R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Krestan
mesh_terms: D004632:Emergency Medical Services / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D061330:Multidetector Computed Tomography / Q000379:methods*; D011860:Radiography, Abdominal / Q000379:methods*; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods*; D014781:Viscera / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000293:injuries*