Gunshot wounds: 2. Radiology

Radiologists can contribute substantially to the evaluation and treatment of the patient with a gunshot wound. Plain films, CT, angiography, and sometimes MR imaging are used to localize the missile, determine what path it followed in the body, assess missile and bone fragmentation, and identify missile emboli. If the peritoneal cavity was entered by a bullet, a laparotomy is required. Missiles subject to magnetic forces can complicate MR imaging. Certain locations of missile fragments predispose to lead poisoning or lead arthropathy. Angiography is useful for both diagnosis and treatment. Both angiographic hemostasis and percutaneous foreign body removal may be used.