CHEST TRAUMA

Trauma is a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. Despite the advent of specialised trauma centres the outcome of patients who s ustain major trauma remains disappointing. Plain radiography and more advanced imaging techniques such as ultrasound, computerised tomograph y (CT) and angiography, have a major role to play in the early decisio n making and subsequent management of patients who sustain polytrauma. This article discusses the choice of emergency imaging techniques ava ilable in chest trauma for clinicians and radiologists; their evaluati on and some of the common pitfalls that may lead to errors of interpre tation.