Imaging of penetrating thoracic trauma

The management of penetrating chest injuries has evolved significantly over the: past few years, with an increasing emphasis on less invasive diagnost ic and therapeutic modalities. Only 15% of patients need a therapeutic oper ative procedure. The challenge is to detect and treat these injuries rapidl y while maximizing the use of noninvasive examinations and decreasing casts . The areas potentially at risk for injury include the heart, major vessels , thoracoabdomen, neck, spine, and aerodigestive tract. A review of injurie s to these areas, including the use of new diagnostic modalities such as ec hocardiography and computed tomography (CT) scans, are discussed.