Injury
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Multicenter Study
Is routine portable pelvic X-ray in stable multiple trauma patients always justified in a high technology era?
According to the Advanced Trauma Life Support, portable pelvis radiography (PXR) is mandatory in multiple trauma patients, and is performed following initial clinical evaluation. The purpose of an early PXR is to identify pelvic fractures that may have haemodynamic consequences. Today, ultrafast multi-detector CT scanners (MDCT) are readily available and widely used in the evaluation of stable trauma patients. The objective of this study was to determine the impact of PXR in stable blunt multiple trauma patients, who required CT scan for full evaluation of the abdomen and pelvis. ⋯ PXR in stable blunt multiple trauma patients did not change the therapeutic policy in our patients. CTA of the abdomen and pelvis is the imaging modality of choice in blunt multiple trauma, regardless of the findings of PXR. Benefit of routine PXR is questionable in hospitals where MDCT is available. Based on our results, we suggest re-evaluating the current practice of routine mandatory portable pelvis radiography.