Ganzkörper-Spiral-CT zur Primärdiagnostik polytraumatisierter Patienten unter Notfallbedingungen

PURPOSE The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of a fast whole body helical CT scanner for primary diagnosis in trauma patients. METHODS 27 severely injured patients (9 women, 18 men; mean age 43 years) were first examined with a helical CT scanner allowing for digital radiograms up to a length of 1024 mm and continuous helical scans of up to 70 seconds (slice thickness 3 to 10 mm, pitch factor up to 2). The primary CT diagnosis was verified either by x-ray after the CT examination or during the subsequent days, by abdominal ultrasound, by additional CT scans in the following days, and by clinical follow-up. RESULTS CT showed all clinically relevant injuries of the head, spine, ches…