Connecticut medicine
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Connecticut medicine · Jun 1991
Clarification of the role of CT scan in the acute evaluation of blunt abdominal trauma.
We reviewed 100 patients sustaining blunt trauma whose initial evaluation included an abdominal computed tomographic scan (CT) to assess the role of this modality in managing these patients. Indications for CT scan were suspicion of abdominal injury based on mechanism of injury (46), tenderness (22), falling hematocrit (9), hematuria (5), pain (4), and hyperamylasemia (1). Thirty-four patients had abdominal injury, and four scans identified non-traumatic pathology; 66 patients had no evidence of abdominal injury. ⋯ First, abdominal CT scan is a sensitive test for abdominal injury. Secondly, patients without objective signs of abdominal injury whose other injuries warrant admission allowing further observation should be followed clinically and do not need the additional expense of abdominal CT scan. Finally, mechanism of injury alone is not an indication for CT scan.