Computed tomography in the evaluation of blunt abdominal trauma

The role of computed tomography (CT) in the evaluation of victims of blunt abdominal trauma remains controversial. This study was done to assess the reliability of CT in the evaluation of blunt abdominal trauma at our institution, to determine if the incidence of nontherapeutic laparotomy has decreased with the use of CT scan and to review the time necessary to complete the scans. Of the 325 patients studied, 37 per cent were found to have abdominal injury on CT scan. Thirty patients required laparotomy; ten of these were nontherapeutic. Excluding transport time, abdominal CT scan required 55 +/- 20 minutes to complete. Abdominal CT was accurate when read by attending physicians (97.5 per cent). Major shortcomings included the commitment of time and personnel, transfer of the patient from a critical care area and reliance on experienced interpretation.