Imaging of Blunt Thoracic Trauma

Greater than 60% of blunt traumatic injuries are related to fall or motor vehicle collision. Of all anatomic regions, injuries to the thorax represent the third most common type of injury (behind head and extremities) with a mortality rate close to 10%, compared to overall mortality in trauma of 4.3%.1 Given the relatively higher rate of mortality compared to other anatomic injuries and the association between chest trauma and greater severity of overall injury,2 recognition of injuries to the thorax is of great importance in approaching the patient with blunt thoracic trauma.

Source: Seminars in Roentgenology - December 17, 2015 Category: Radiology Authors: Sreevathsan Sridhar, Constantine Raptis, Sanjeev Bhalla Source Type: research