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Journal of The Korean Society of Emergency Medicine 2003;14(5): 646-652. |
| The Usefulness of Chest and Abdominal CT in Detection of Thoracolumbar Spine Fracture after Multiple Blunt Trauma |
| Jung Min Ju, Yong Su Lim, Jae Kwang Kim, Hyuk Jun Yang, Gun Lee, Wook Jin, Seong Youn Hwang |
1Department of Emergency Medicine, Ghil Medical Center, Gachon Medical School, Incheon, Korea. yongem@netian.com
2Department of Diagnostic radiology, Ghil Medical Center, Gachon Medical School, Incheon, Korea.
3Department of Emergency Medicine, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Masan, Korea. |
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| ABSTRACT |
PURPOSE:
To compare the accuracy of spine plain films with chest and abdominal Computed Tomography (CT) for trauma in detection of spine fractures.
METHODS:
Patients who sustained multiple blunt injury and required both thoraco-lumbar spine plain films and chest or abdominal CT scans were retrospectively identified. Of these 154 patients had both chest CT for trauma and thoracic spine plain films, and 220 patients had both abdominal CT for trauma and lumbar spine plain films.
RESULTS:
Of the fractures visible at either chest CT or thoracic spine plain film examination, all were diagnosed on CT and 50% on plain films. Of fractures visible at either abdominal CT or lumbar spine plain films, all were diagnosed on CT and 62% on plain films.
CONCLUSION:
Evaluation of the scanogram and bone windows when a patient has chest and abdominal CT appears to be as accurate as thoracic and lumbar spine films in the evaluation of spinal trauma. Further study is required to determine whether chest or abdominal CT scans routinely replace conventional radiographs of the thoracic or lumbar spine after blunt trauma. |
| Key words:
Computed Tomography, Spine fracture, Blunt trauma |
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