PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To provide an update on the relevant and recent studies on whole-body computed tomography (WBCT) imaging of severely injured patients. RECENT FINDINGS: The advantages of WBCT in time saving, diagnostic accuracy and even in survival have been proven in numerous studies. WBCT can also be beneficial in haemodynamically unstable major trauma patients. The CT scanner should be located close to the emergency department or even in the trauma room. The issue of radiation is still quite important, however, iterative as well as split-bolus protocols can nowadays reduce radiation significantly. The question: which trauma patient should receive WBCT and which not is not yet solved sufficiently. Postmortem WBCT has a promising potential to promptly define the definitive cause of death of trauma victims comparably to traditional autopsy. SUMMARY: On account of the recent advances, whole-body CT has become a crucial part of the initial in-hospital assessment of severely injured patients. It is recommended as the standard radiological tool for the emergency diagnostic work-up in major trauma patients.
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To provide an update on the relevant and recent studies on whole-body computed tomography (WBCT) imaging of severely injured patients. RECENT FINDINGS: The advantages of WBCT in time saving, diagnostic accuracy and even in survival have been proven in numerous studies. WBCT can also be beneficial in haemodynamically unstable major traumapatients. The CT scanner should be located close to the emergency department or even in the trauma room. The issue of radiation is still quite important, however, iterative as well as split-bolus protocols can nowadays reduce radiation significantly. The question: which traumapatient should receive WBCT and which not is not yet solved sufficiently. Postmortem WBCT has a promising potential to promptly define the definitive cause of death of trauma victims comparably to traditional autopsy. SUMMARY: On account of the recent advances, whole-body CT has become a crucial part of the initial in-hospital assessment of severely injured patients. It is recommended as the standard radiological tool for the emergency diagnostic work-up in major traumapatients.
Authors: Manuel Florian Struck; Christian Kleber; Sebastian Ewens; Sebastian Ebel; Holger Kirsten; Sebastian Krämer; Stefan Schob; Georg Osterhoff; Felix Girrbach; Peter Hilbert-Carius; Benjamin Ondruschka; Gunther Hempel Journal: J Clin Med Date: 2022-07-13 Impact factor: 4.964
Authors: Maximilian Kippnich; Nora Schorscher; Markus Kredel; Christian Markus; Lars Eden; Tobias Gassenmaier; Johann Lock; Thomas Wurmb Journal: Eur J Trauma Emerg Surg Date: 2020-04-25 Impact factor: 3.693