An evaluation of the use of whole-body computed tomography in trauma patients at a United Kingdom trauma centre.

We sought to identify the impact of whole-body computed tomography (WBCT) on working and suspected diagnoses in Emergency Department (ED) trauma patients and to determine the rate of WBCT scans with no detectable traumatic injuries. We performed a retrospective database analysis of all trauma patients who underwent WBCT in 2009, comparing pretest suspicion of specific injury to WBCT findings, looking for the rates of unexpected findings and the absence of traumatic injury in WBCT studies. Our results showed that of the 179 patients who underwent WBCT, no traumatic injury reported in 17 patients while 162 patients demonstrated pathology (47 confirming previously suspected or diagnosed injury and 115 with previously unexpected injury). Overall, WBCT results differed from clinical findings in 130 (72.6%) patients, a statistically significant difference (P<0.0001). In conclusion, WBCT identifies previously unexpected injuries in almost 66% of ED trauma patients, supporting its continued use in the initial assessment of trauma patients.