Whole-Body CTs Save Time for Trauma Patients in Emergency Dept

THURSDAY, July 23, 2020 (HealthDay News) — Whole-body computed tomography (WBCT) for trauma patients may save time in the emergency department, but is not associated with other improved outcomes, according to a review published in the August 1 issue of the European Journal of Radiology.

Elio Arruzza, from University of South Australia in Adelaide, and colleagues conducted a systematic literature review to identify articles assessing the value of WBCT for initial trauma imaging.

Based on 14 identified studies, the researchers found comparable rates between conventional procedures and WBCT (odds ratio, 0.854, 95 percent confidence interval, 0.715 to 1.021; P = 0.083) among 63,529 patients (11 studies). WBCT significantly aided time in the emergency department. However, 24-hour mortality rates, multiple organ dysfunction syndrome/failure incidence, and hospital and intensive care unit length of stay were similar between the groups. WBCT is associated with increased radiation dose and mechanical ventilation duration.

“Clinicians should consider these findings in light of their clinical context when choosing between WBCT and non-WBCT, particularly in terms of the volume of patients in their facilities, the need for timely management, and the cost of WBCT,” the authors write.

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