AI Article Synopsis

  • Diagnostic-quality images from thoracoabdominal CT have proven more effective than CR for assessing TLS injuries in trauma patients.
  • Following the adoption of MDCT, there was a notable increase in CT usage for TLS imaging compared to CR, alongside a rise in overall chest and abdominal CT scans.
  • The reasons behind the increased utilization of CT over traditional CR remain uncertain, signaling a need for more research to evaluate clinical benefits and cost-effectiveness.

Article Abstract

Background: Diagnostic-quality thoracolumbar spine (TLS) images, generated from routine thoracoabdominal multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) data, have been demonstrated superior to conventional radiography (CR) for TLS injury. We evaluated thoracoabdominal computed tomography (CT) and TLS utilization among trauma patients after deployment of MDCT. We hypothesized that reformatted MDCT images replaced CR for evaluation of TLS trauma among patients undergoing chest or abdominal CT, and that utilization of thoracoabdominal CT and TLS screening in trauma increased postMDCT.

Methods: We reviewed all TLS imaging for trauma patients undergoing chest or abdominal CT for 18 months pre- and postMDCT. We compared the relative use of CR and CT in TLS imaging, and the volume of TLS screening, and chest and abdominal CT across the study period. We also reviewed TLS CR in patients not undergoing chest or abdominal CT.

Results: After MDCT deployment, CT replaced CR for TLS imaging among those undergoing chest or abdominal CT for trauma. Utilization of chest and abdominal CT and TLS screening significantly increased, despite unchanged volume and severity of trauma patients during the study period. There was a corresponding decrease in patients evaluated with thoracic spine CR alone

Conclusions: Reformatted TLS images using thoracoabdominal CT data have replaced CR in our evaluation of TLS trauma. However, reasons for increased utilization remain unclear. Further studies are needed to determine whether clinical yield and cost-effectiveness warrant these changes in utilization.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/01.ta.0000200818.58534.5aDOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

chest abdominal
24
trauma patients
20
computed tomography
16
undergoing chest
16
tls
13
patients undergoing
12
tls screening
12
tls imaging
12
trauma
8
utilization trauma
8

Similar Publications

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!