Thoracic aortic trauma: role of dynamic CT.

Two protocols were developed to study the efficacy of both chest radiography and dynamic computed tomography (CT) of the thorax in screening for traumatic aortic injury. Both protocols demonstrated a definite role for dynamic CT in excluding aortic injury in patients with normal initial chest radiographs. The authors studied 164 patients, and preliminary results indicated a high reliability for this method. Their algorithm, with 6-month follow-up, yielded both 100% sensitivity and a 100% negative predictive value. Unnecessary aortography, with its associated morbidity and cost, was decreased by 73%.