RAD2 Pitfalls in Trauma ultrasound. (Radiology).

RAD2 PITFALLS IN TRAUMA ULTRASOUND. Christopher J. Cangelosi, MD, Vanessa M. Zayas, MD, and Cynthia W. Haneman, MD. Department of Radiology, Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center, New Orleans, La.

Ultrasound has been shown to be an efficient and rapid tool for evaluating the abdomen in the setting of acute injury. Its utility has been described in multiple studies and it has become the initial diagnostic modality for suspected blunt abdominal trauma in many centers across the country. However, just like any other imaging modality, ultrasound does have its limitations and an understanding of these is crucial in both its interpretation and performance. From our Trauma Registry the patients who presented to the emergency department with blunt abdominal trauma were identified. The ultrasound images, CT images and medical records were reviewed to identify our institution's demographics and statistics as compared to other major Trauma Centers in the country. We found that in some of the ultrasounds that were interpreted as false positive and false negative there where certain factors, like obesity and inadequate bladder distention that could have been responsible for these erroneous interpretations. This pos ter illustrates those and other pitfalls, which could lead to misdiagnosis. The learning objectives: (1) to describe the basic concepts of the FAST ultrasound; (2) to identify and describe the limitations of this imaging study; and (3) to discuss the solutions to these limitations.