Results from the first year as a major trauma radiology unit in the UK

To record and analyse data from all facets of practice in the first year as a newly set-up major trauma centre radiology department.

Retrospective analysis of all patients who underwent whole-body computed tomography (WBCT) for suspected polytrauma over a 1 year period was performed. The mechanism, the time of day, the number of body parts injured, the type of injuries, and resulting surgical or radiological interventions were recorded. Also recorded was the time from the CT examination to the formal report. Where applicable, the consultant-verified reports were cross-referenced with the out-of-hours registrar reports to assess for discrepancies.

Two hundred and one patients underwent WBCT for suspected polytrauma. Sixty-four percent (128/201) of WBCT examinations were performed "out-of-hours". Fifty-seven percent (115/201) were road traffic accidents (RTAs), 33% (66/201) were falls, and 6% (12/201) were assaults. At WBCT, 31% (63/201) had no injuries; 27% (54/201) had injury to one body area; 21% (43/201) had injury to two areas; and 20% (41/201) had injury to three or more areas. Nineteen percent (39/201) required urgent radiological or surgical intervention. The mean time from end-of-CT to a formal report was 27 min. There were discrepancies between consultant reports and registrar reports in 22% (31/142) of cases; 1% (2/142) led to a change in acute management.

Based on our early experiences, nearly one-third of patients who undergo a WBCT scan for suspected polytrauma, will have no acute injury at WBCT. One-fifth of patients in our study required emergency surgical or radiological intervention for acute injuries found on WBCT. A low discrepancy rate was found between on-call registrar reports and the consultant-verified reports.