Evaluation of the Spiral Chest CT Scan Findings in Patients with Multiple Trauma.

Objective: To evaluate the spiral chest computed tomography (CT) scan findings in patients with multiple trauma during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: This retrospective study was performed on multiple trauma patients admitted to a tertiary hospital in the north of Iran in 2020. All patients with multiple trauma who had undergone a chest spiral CT were included in this study. Furthermore, the data analysis was performed through descriptive and analytical statistics using SPSS software.

Results: A total of 600 patients were included over the study period. The mean age of patients was 48.2±20.3 years. Of the total, 496 (65.3%) patients had blunt chest injuries, and 104 (34.7%) had penetrating chest injuries. Falling was the most common mechanical cause of chest trauma in 270 patients (45%). Surgical interventions were performed in 110 (18.3%) patients. A total of 276 (46%) patients had chest injuries identified by CT scans. Many patients (15.6%) had ground-glass lung opacity in the CT scan reports. Lung consolidation, pneumothorax, lung contusion, hemothorax, and rib fractures were the most common.

Conclusion: Due to the high frequency of typical findings in spiral CT scan examinations, obtaining a reliable history of trauma severity, injury mechanism, and a detailed physical examination is recommended before prescribing a CT scan for patients.