CT Application 5 Trauma Flashcards
FAST
Focused Assessment with Sonography for Trauma
why CT is the undisputed gold standard
- immediate access
- high spatial res, specificity, sensitivity
- low scan time
FAST rapidly identifies free fluid in ___
abdomen / pericardium / pleural space
hemopericardium
blood in heart
hemoperitoneum
blood in peritoneal cavity
what is the initial assessment of trauma patients
FAST
advantages of FAST US
BANG
- beside imaging
- available
- no radiation
- guides insertion tubes & catheters
disadvantages of FAST US
LOL
- Limited visualization in big patients or GI gas accumulation
- Operator dependent
- Low reproducibility
advantages of x-ray
ABC
- available
- beside imaging
- cheap
disadvantages of x-ray
RPL
- radiation
- patient must hold still
- limited specificity & sensitivity
advantages of MRI
SHN
- SST visualization
- high sensitivity & specificity
- no radiation
disadvantages of MRI
- not easily available
- long duration
- costly
- contraindicated with metal implants
advantages of CT
EVC
- Evaluates multiple organs
- Visualizes pathologies beyond XR & US
- Contrast medium enhances evaluation
disadvantages of CT
- radiation
- allergic reactions
types of errors in trauma imaging
input, intention, execution
causes of errors made in trauma imaging
TIMU
- time critical decisions with concurrent tasks
- incomplete history
- mass causalities
- unstable patients
GCS
glasgow coma score
what is GCS used for
summary to determine impaired consciousness extent of patients but less detailed
what does GCS assess
- eye opening
- verbal response
- motor response
CT trauma preparation
triage > transfer > ct scan
what is the IV access for trauma patients
18G & 22G cannula
what is checked at triage phase of patient prep
- FAST Scan
- IV access
- creatinine & eGFR
c4 injury leads to
complete paralysis below neck
c6 injury leads to
partial paralysis of upper & lower limbs
t4 injury leads to
paralysis below chest
L1 injury leads to
paralysis below waist
what injuries lead to paraplegia
T4 & L1
what injuries lead to tetraplegia
C4 & c6
complete lesion defined as
no sensation / motor injury in lowest part of spinal cord S4/5 and no motor function at least 3 levels below spinal cord injury
incomplete lesion defined as
some sensation or voluntary movements below level of spinal cord injury
CT head indication
assess for traumatic brain injury
CT C-Spine indication
CXR AP & Lateral C-spine inconclusive
CT thorax & abdomen pelvis indication
patient hemodynamically stable & need to find active bleeding source
scan region for CT head
base of skull > vertex
scan region for CT cervical spine
craniocervical junction > T1
scan region for CT thorax abdomen
thorax and/or abdomen