Emergency radiology
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Emergency radiology · Nov 2010
Correlating first- and second-rib fractures noted on spine computed tomography with major vessel injury.
First- and second-rib fractures diagnosed on plain radiographs have been associated with traumatic aortic injury. We examined whether such fractures diagnosed on computed tomography (CT), which is of greater sensitivity than plain radiograms for rib fractures, are associated with traumatic vascular injury. We identified 1,894 patients who had undergone a chest CT angiogram with indication of trauma between 2005 and 2008. ⋯ No subset of type of rib fracture was associated with greater incidence of aortic injury. First- and second-fractures are not associated with greater incidence of aortic injury. Thus, the previous axiom that first- and second-rib fractures should result in increased examination for aortic injury may not hold true.
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Emergency radiology · Nov 2010
Evaluation by ultrasound of traumatic rib fractures missed by radiography.
Rib fractures are the most common (25%) injuries resulting from blunt chest trauma, and are usually revealed on radiographs. Radiography sometimes cannot show fractures, especially those in costal cartilages, except for densely calcified ones. Several authors have recently investigated the role of ultrasound in the detection of rib fractures. ⋯ None of the rib fractures were identified radiographically. Sonography detected 26 rib fractures in 18 of 20 subjects at presentation. Sonography reveals more fractures than radiography and will reveal fractures in most patients presenting with suspected rib fracture.