Yield of serious axial injury from pan scans after blunt trauma in haemodynamically stable low-risk trauma patients.

OBJECTIVES: Whole body computed tomography (WBCT) scanning for trauma has gained popularity but its role in low-risk patients is controversial. We aimed to determine the rate of serious axial/truncal injury and emergency intervention in conscious, stable patients undergoing WBCT for blunt trauma in two non-trauma centre EDs in the Victorian trauma system.

METHODS: Retrospective cohort study by medical record and radiology report review. Patients were included if they were conscious, haemodynamically stable adults presenting by ambulance and having WBCT scan. Exclusion criteria were age <16 years, no history of trauma, Glasgow Coma Scale <14, systolic blood pressure <90 mmHg and intoxication with alcohol or drugs. Data collected included demographics, clinical findings, results of CT scans and emergency interventions (emergency truncal surgery, transfer to a trauma centre and/or transfusion within 24 h). The outcomes of interest were the rate of defined serious axial/truncal injury and emergency interventions.

RESULTS: One hundred and four patients were studied. Median age was 45 years; 67% were men. Median injury severity score (ISS) was 1.5 (interquartile range 0-5); only one patient had an ISS ≥15. Ninety (87%, 78-92%) patients had no defined serious injury. Five (5%) patients had a defined emergency intervention - four trauma centre transfers and one transfusion. Two of these were not trauma-related.

CONCLUSION: The rate of serious axial/truncal injury was low. The high rate of normal scans makes it likely that the risk:benefit ratio between injury identification and radiation related cancer risk is unacceptably high. This data supports a selective CT strategy in low-risk trauma patients.