title: Role of pelvic X-ray in blunt trauma patients -- A university hospital experience in Oman.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To confirm the safety of the advanced trauma life support algorithm by comparing the incidence of pelvic fractures diagnosed by pelvic X-ray and computed tomography and to evaluate the need of pelvic X-ray in the management of haemodynamically stable polytrauma patients in whom computed tomography is deemed necessary.
  
  
  METHODS
  The prospective study was conducted at Sultan Qaboos University, Muscat, Oman, from January to December 2012, and comprised stable blunt trauma patients treated according to advanced trauma life support guidelines. All the patients underwent pelvic X-ray on presentation and later had computed tomography scan of abdomen and pelvis. Radiology reports were filed by the on-call radiologist prospectively. The reports were reviewed retrospectively. Data was analysed using SPSS 19.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 67 patients, 59(88%) were male and 8(12%) were females. The overall mean age was 32.09±12.28 years (range: 14-77 years) Pelvic X-rays showed no fracture in 62(92.5%) cases compared to 55(82.1%) scans. All cases that were positive on pelvic X-ray were detected by scan. Pelvic X-ray revealed only 4(6%) patients as having only pelvic fracture and 1(1.5%) as femoral head fracture. Computed tomography scan was able to detect 6(9%) pelvic fractures, 2(3%) femoral fractures and 4(6%) lumbar fractures.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Computed tomography scan was found to be superior in detecting pelvic, femoral and lumbar fractures.
authors.affiliation: Final Year Medical Student, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, Sultan Qaboos University, Oman.
authors.forename: Amal Ahmed
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Al Balushi
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Muscat, Oman.
authors.forename: Kamran Ahmad
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Malik
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005264:Femoral Fractures / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000293:injuries; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009104:Multiple Trauma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D009850:Oman; D010384:Pelvic Bones / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000293:injuries; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011859:Radiography; D016103:Spinal Fractures / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014949:Wounds, Nonpenetrating / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Pelvic x-ray, Computed tomography, CT, Stable, blunt trauma, ATLS, Advanced Trauma Life Support.