Whole-body computed tomography in trauma patients: optimization of the patient scanning position significantly shortens examination time while maintaining diagnostic image quality

Abstract

Background

The study was conducted to compare examination time and artifact vulnerability of whole-body computed tomographies (wbCTs) for trauma patients using conventional or optimized patient positioning.

Patients and methods

Examination time was measured in 100 patients scanned with conventional protocol (Group A: arms positioned alongside the body for head and neck imaging and over the head for trunk imaging) and 100 patients scanned with optimized protocol (Group B: arms flexed on a chest pillow without repositioning). Additionally, influence of two different scanning protocols on image quality in the most relevant body regions was assessed by two blinded readers.

Results

Total wbCT duration was about 35% or 3:46 min shorter in B than in A. Artifacts in aorta (27 vs 6%), liver (40 vs 8%) and spleen (27 vs 5%) occurred significantly more often in B than in A. No incident of non-diagnostic image quality was reported, and no significant differences for lungs and spine were found.

Conclusion

An optimized wbCT positioning protocol for trauma patients allows a significant reduction of examination time while still maintaining diagnostic image quality.

Keywords:

• CT scan
• polytrauma
• acute care
• time requirement
• positioning

Disclosure

The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work.