Journal of ultrasound in medicine : official journal of the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine
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To determine the benefit of screening ultrasonography for parenchymal abnormalities as well as free fluid during screening abdominal ultrasonography in patients with blunt trauma. ⋯ The inability to show injuries with no hemoperitoneum or with delayed hemoperitoneum has been shown to be a limitation of ultrasonography in patients with blunt trauma. In our series, 26% of all patients with documented injuries had no free fluid visible on screening ultrasonography Attention to findings other than free fluid allowed detection in 43% of injured patients without sonographic evidence of hemoperitoneum.