La Radiologia medica
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La Radiologia medica · Jun 2010
Comparative StudyRole of multidetector-row CT in assessing the source of arterial haemorrhage in patients with pelvic vascular trauma. Comparison with angiography.
We investigated the role of multidetector-row computed tomography (MDCT) in identifying active bleeding and its source in polytrauma patients with pelvic vascular injuries with or without associated fractures of the pelvis. ⋯ Arterial haemorrhage is one of the most serious problems associated with pelvic fracture, and it remains the leading cause of death attributable to such fractures. MDCT provides diagnostic information regarding the presence of small pelvic fractures and, thanks to the contrast-enhanced angiographic technique, it is capable of identifying pelvic bleeding, with the demonstration in some cases of it source. The presence of contrast material extravasation is an indicator of injury to a specific artery passing through the region of the pelvis where the extravasation is noted on MDCT. Urgent angiography and subsequent transcatheter embolisation are the most effective methods for controlling ongoing arterial bleeding in pelvic injuries.