European radiology
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The purpose of the study was to evaluate the diagnostic value of pelvic radiography in the initial trauma series when compared to multidetector CT (MDCT) findings in serious blunt trauma. Inclusion criteria were blunt trauma and pelvic radiography in the initial trauma series, followed by a whole-body MDCT. A total of 1386 patients (874 male, 512 female, age 16-91 years, mean 41 years) met the inclusion criteria. ⋯ MDCT and radiography showed the same type of pelvic injury in 72 patients (59%) and the subtype in 17 patients (14%). In 48 patients (40%) the pelvis was shown to be stable by radiography but unstable by MDCT. In conclusion, the sensitivity of pelvic radiography is low, and it is not reliable for determining if the pelvic injury is stable or not.
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The objective of this study was to describe CT findings and to determine the diagnostic value of CT in diagnosis of acute mediastinitis. CT findings were retrospectively studied in 40 patients with suspected acute mediastinitis, including 28 postoperative patients, five with acute descending necrotizing mediastinitis (ADNM), and seven with suspected post-traumatic perforation of the esophagus. Findings included increased attenuation of mediastinal fat (100%), localized mediastinal fluid collections (55%), free gas bubbles in the mediastinum (57.5%), mediastinal lymph nodes (35%), pericardial effusions (27.5%), pleural effusions (85%), lung infiltrates (35%), sternal dehiscence (40%), and pleuromediastinal fistula (2.5%). ⋯ CT is a highly sensitive technique for the detection of mediastinitis of various causes. For the postoperative patients there is clear time dependence for CT interpretation and accuracy. In patients with suspected ADNM, and traumatic esophageal perforation CT is highly specific early after clinical presentation.