Newer diagnostic modalities for vascular injuries: the way we were, the way we are.

The article discusses the role of modalities in diagnosing vascular injuries starting with angiography and tracing the evolution of the use of color flow Doppler, CT, and CT angiography. It also addresses the controversy of minimal vascular injury and outlines vascular injuries that may be safely observed and followed-up. Finally, the evolution from angiography to the use of helical CT for the diagnosis of thoracic aortic injuries is reviewed in detail.