Seminars in ultrasound, CT, and MR
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Semin. Ultrasound CT MR · Apr 1996
ReviewCT in blunt chest trauma: pulmonary, tracheobronchial, and diaphragmatic injuries.
Routine use of CT in the initial evaluation of blunt chest trauma is controversial. CT however, has been shown to be useful in the diagnosis of unsuspected chest injuries and in directing therapeutic interventions. This review discusses the CT findings in patients with pulmonary, tracheobronchial, and diaphragmatic injuries after blunt chest trauma.
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The burst fracture is an injury characterized by anterior vertebral body height loss and retropulsion of the posterior aspect of the vertebral body into the spinal canal. The vertebral body injury frequently is associated with fractures through the neural arch. Using a three-column concept of spinal stability, the division of these fractures into stable and unstable injuries is difficult. ⋯ This structure is best evaluated by MR examination. Confirmation of posterior ligamentous disruption occurring in conjunction with the burst fracture leads to reevaluation of the presumed mechanism of injury. This article discusses the many issues surrounding the division of burst fractures into stable and unstable injuries and reexamines the common classification systems of thoracolumbar spine injuries.
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Trauma is the leading cause of death of young adults in the United States, and chest trauma is one of the leading causes of trauma-related fatalities. This article presents an approach to the radiological evaluation and diagnosis of pneumothorax, pneumomediastinum, traumatic aortic rupture, and thoracic spine injuries. Also discussed is the radiological assessment of vascular catheters, endotracheal tubes, and thoracostomy tubes.
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A review of first-trimester ultrasound findings is presented. The normal first trimester, including practical embryology and pregnancy dating, is first discussed. Abnormal first-trimester findings, including sonographic evaluation of the failing pregnancy, ectopic pregnancy, gestational trophoblastic disease, and first-trimester cystic hygroma, are then stressed. This report reviews the spectrum of findings encountered by sonographers while evaluating early pregnancy.
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Pulmonary emphysema is a pathological diagnosis. The clinical diagnosis of emphysema can be difficult because correlations between results of lung function tests and the extent of emphysema are poor. ⋯ Despite not detecting mild emphysema and underestimating the severity of disease, CT--and high-resolution CT in particular--is the best noninvasive modality for detecting or corroborating pulmonary emphysema. This review focuses on several important aspects of pulmonary emphysema: (1) the definition and pathological characterization, (2) techniques of CT imaging, (3) CT findings and their correlation with pathophysiological data, and (4) quantification with CT.