AJR. American journal of roentgenology
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AJR Am J Roentgenol · Jun 1999
Comparative StudyAre oblique views needed for trauma radiography of the distal extremities?
To our knowledge, few studies exist on the importance of the oblique view when radiography of the distal extremities is performed after acute trauma. Our prospective study aimed to determine whether the oblique view uniquely revealed abnormalities or clarified findings when it was obtained along with routine frontal and lateral radiographs. ⋯ In the distal extremities, the oblique view uniquely reveals abnormalities and increases the confidence of the final radiographic diagnosis when the oblique view is interpreted along with frontal and lateral radiographs.
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AJR Am J Roentgenol · Jun 1999
Gas in the sternoclavicular joints of patients with blunt chest trauma: significance and frequency of CT findings.
In trauma patients, gas (vacuum phenomenon) in the sternoclavicular joints could represent sequelae of significant distraction forces and thus serve as a potential marker for severe intrathoracic injury. We evaluated the significance and frequency of the finding of gas in the sternoclavicular joints on chest CT of patients with blunt trauma. ⋯ Although gas in the sternoclavicular joints is more frequently seen in patients with blunt chest trauma than in patients undergoing chest CT for other indications, this finding does not indicate a greater risk of significant mediastinal or thoracic injury.
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AJR Am J Roentgenol · Apr 1999
Sonography in a clinical algorithm for early evaluation of 1671 patients with blunt abdominal trauma.
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of sonography in our algorithm when differentiating patients with blunt abdominal trauma who need immediate surgery from patients who would benefit from further diagnostic workup or who need no treatment. ⋯ Our algorithm that uses sonography as the primary diagnostic tool provides accurate, fast, cost-effective, and noninvasive initial management of patients with blunt abdominal trauma. Our test characteristics were excellent indicators of the need for emergency laparotomy. Sonography also achieves high values in revealing relevant injury. Our algorithm produced medically satisfactory and economically prudent management of patients with blunt abdominal trauma.
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AJR Am J Roentgenol · Apr 1999
External validation of the Ottawa knee rules in an urban trauma center in the United States.
We evaluated the Ottawa knee rules in a high-volume teaching hospital in the United States to determine whether the rules could be safely used to decide whether patients with acute blunt knee trauma should undergo radiography. ⋯ The Ottawa knee rules are highly sensitive for fracture in this setting and may safely be used to decide whether patients with acute blunt knee trauma should undergo radiography.