Helical CT of abdominal trauma

CT has revolutionized the diagnostic work-up of trauma patients with suspec ted abdominal injuries. A wide range of intraperitoneal and retroperitoneal organ injuries can be quickly and accurately diagnosed with CT. Today, hel ical CT technology permits even faster examinations, with improved intraven ous contrast opacification of parenchymal organs and vascular structures an d reduced CT artifacts caused by patient motion, respiration, and arterial pulsation. Severely injured and potentially unstable patients, who might no t have been able to tolerate the long CT examinations of the past, may be q uickly evaluated today with helical CT. Accurate diagnosis requires high qu ality CT examinations that are performed with optimum CT protocols. This ar ticle reviews the currently recommended helical CT protocols for evaluating patients with suspected abdominal injuries, and the CT findings when injur ies are present.