Current Standards for and Clinical Impact of Emergency Radiology in Major Trauma

Abstract

In industrialized countries, high energy trauma represents the leading cause of death and disability among people under 35 years of age. The two leading causes of mortality are neurological injuries and bleeding. Clinical evaluation is often unreliable in determining if, when and where injuries should be treated. Traditionally, surgery was the mainstay for assessment of injuries but advances in imaging techniques, particularly in computed tomography (CT), have contributed in progressively changing the classic clinical paradigm for major traumas, better defining the indications for surgery. Actually, the vast majority of traumas are now treated nonoperatively with a significant reduction in morbidity and mortality compared to the past. In this sense, another crucial point is the advent of interventional radiology (IR) in the treatment of vascular injuries after blunt trauma. IR enables the most effective nonoperative treatment of all vascular injuries. Indications for IR depend on the CT evidence of vascular injuries and, therefore, a robust CT protocol and the radiologist’s expertise are crucial. Emergency and IR radiologists form an integral part of the trauma team and are crucial for tailored management of traumatic injuries.