Computed tomography of the traumatized abdomen

Accidental injury is the fourth most common cause of death in the United States. Ten percent of traumatized patients die as a result of abdominal injury and its complications. Computed tomography (CT) has gained wide acceptance in evaluating patients with abdominal trauma because of its high sensitivity and specificity and because it provides rapid assessment of all abdominal organs, as well as the adjacent bony skeleton. The priority of investigation and treatment should be set by the trauma triage team in consultation with a radiologist, who should be an integral member of the team. In this report, the CT technique, findings, and the role of emergency CT imaging in acute trauma and its complications are outlined.