J Acute Care Surg.  2016 Apr;6(1):18-22. 10.17479/jacs.2016.6.1.18.

The Role of Whole-Body Computed Tomography in Severely Injured Patients Retrospective Single Center Cohort Study

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Surgery, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. skhong94@amc.seoul.kr
  • 2Division of Trauma and Surgical Critical Care, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
  • 3Department of Radiology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.

Abstract

PURPOSE
To assess the effects of whole-body computed tomography (WBCT) on severely injured trauma patients.
METHODS
After the installation of a WBCT scanner, we compared 48 patients who underwent the WBCT (WBCT cohort) with 40 patients prior to the WBCT (pre-WBCT cohort). We evaluated the number of CT, radiation exposure, time interval to decision and clinical outcomes such as length of intensive care unit stay, ventilation period, and acute kidney injury rates.
RESULTS
In the WBCT cohort, the number of CT scans was significantly less (3.5 times) than in the pre-WBCT cohort (5.5 times; p<0.001). The radiation exposure was significantly lower in the WBCT cohort (24.5 mSv) than in the pre-WBCT cohort (31.3 mSv; p=0.040). The amount of radio-contrast used differed between the groups, but not significantly. Although there were fewer acute kidney injuries in the WBCT cohort (27.1%) than in pre-WBCT cohort (37.5%; p=0.296), especially severe injuries (stage 3 Acute Kidney Injury [AKI] Network: 17.5% in pre-WBCT vs. 6.3% in WBCT; p=0.059), the difference did not reach statistical significance. The hospital length of stay was significantly shorter in the WBCT cohort (21.42 days) than in the pre-WBCT cohort (32.38 days, p=0.019). However, there were no significant differences in the time interval to decision, intensive care unit stay, ventilation days, and mortality.
CONCLUSION
The WBCT decreased the number of CT scans and subsequent less use of radio-contrast amount. It also tended to reduce severe AKI.

Keyword

Trauma; Computed tomography; Radiation; Acute kidney injury; Outcome

MeSH Terms

Acute Kidney Injury
Cohort Studies*
Humans
Intensive Care Units
Length of Stay
Mortality
Radiation Exposure
Retrospective Studies*
Tomography, X-Ray Computed
Ventilation
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