New and old tools for abdominal imaging in critically ill patients
Severgnini, P.; Inzigneri, G.; Olvera, C.; Fugazzola, C.; Mangini, M.; Padalino, P.; Pelosi, P.
Acta Clinica Belgica 62(Suppl 1): 173-182
2007
ISSN/ISBN: 1784-3286 PMID: 17469717 Document Number: 613280
Diagnostic imaging technology has advanced considerably during the past two decades. Different imaging techniques have been proposed for abdominal imaging in critically ill patients like plain radiography, sonography, computed tomography (CT), magnetic resonance and positron emission tomography. Sonography has been proven to be effective to detect free intra-peritoneal fluid and it is considered one of the primary diagnostic modalities for abdominal evaluation for trauma assessment. In our opinion sonography should replace other invasive techniques to rapidly triage blunt trauma patients with unstable vital signs and examine the peritoneal cavity as a site of major haemorrhage to expedite exploratory laparotomy. On the other hand, CT has become the imaging modality of choice in hemodynamically stable patients with multisystem blunt and penetrating trauma. New developments in the quantitative analysis of the CT images will improve our knowledge of pathophysiology, diagnostic and therapeutic management of abdominal pathologies in critically ill patients.