Imaging of penetrating thoracic trauma.

The management of penetrating chest injuries has evolved significantly over the past few years, with an increasing emphasis on less invasive diagnostic and therapeutic modalities. Only 15% of patients need a therapeutic operative procedure. The challenge is to detect and treat these injuries rapidly while maximizing the use of noninvasive examinations and decreasing costs. The areas potentially at risk for injury include the heart, major vessels, thoracoabdomen, neck, spine, and aerodigestive tract. A review of injuries to these areas, including the use of new diagnostic modalities such as echocardiography and computed tomography (CT) scans, are discussed.