Emergency CT of blunt abdominal trauma: experience from a large urban hospital in Southern China

Trauma is one of the leading causes of death for men and women under the age of 45 years old, and abdominal injuries contribute to a large number of these deaths. Prompt diagnosis is very important for treatment decision making and can be life-saving. CT has become an essential imaging modality in emergency medicine. In this pictorial review, we present our experience of CT in blunt abdominal trauma and describe CT findings of common injuries, including hemoperitoneum, solid viscera, hollow viscera, mesenteric and diaphragmatic injuries. Unenhanced CT is routinely used, tailored protocols should be reserved for patients with questionable or subtle findings at unenhanced CT, especially for bowel and mesenteric injuries. The decision can be made by radiologists based on initial findings or by referring clinicians based by clinical presentations or deterioration of patients’ condition.