Radiology and A Radiologist: A Keystone in the Turmoil of Trauma Setting

Cureus. 2021 Apr 2;13(4):e14267. doi: 10.7759/cureus.14267.

Abstract

Traumatic injuries are one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality. Precise diagnosis and management in the golden hour are key to decrease morbidity and mortality. History and physical examination alone are insufficient to avoid misdiagnosis. In this article, we tried to determine the role of a radiologist and an appropriate imaging modality in a trauma setting. We conducted a literature review of published research articles. We used the keywords imaging, trauma, imaging and trauma, and trauma imaging essentials were used on PubMed and Google Scholar. The articles published in the English language from 2015 to 2020 with full free text available were included. Using the medical subject heading (MeSH) strategy, "diagnostic imaging" (Major {Majr}) and "multiple trauma/diagnostic imaging" (Mesh) on PubMed, we identified 34 papers after applying the inclusion and exclusion criteria. Twenty articles were finally selected which included studies from 2015 to 2020 with articles focusing on the adult population and acute cases. A radiologist and imaging modalities are the essential parts of a trauma setting to lower morbidity and mortality. X-rays and Extended Focussed Assessment with Sonography for Trauma (eFAST) are the first-line imaging modality in the acute trauma setting. However, the CT scan is the most sensitive modality that should be done to avoid misdiagnosis depending upon the patient's history and physical examination.

Keywords: essentials of trauma imaging; imaging; imaging and trauma; trauma.

Publication types

  • Review