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Multimodality Imaging of Cardiac Trauma

  • Imaging (Q Truong, Section Editor)
  • Published:
Current Treatment Options in Cardiovascular Medicine Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose of review

The purpose of this article is to review the imaging findings of blunt and penetrating traumatic cardiac injury.

Recent findings

Due to its speed of acquisition and ready availability, multidetector CT has become the gold standard for imaging of both blunt and penetrating cardiac trauma. Echocardiography is the first-line modality for evaluation of the valves. While magnetic resonance imaging provides the most comprehensive examination, it should only be utilized for problem solving or follow-up.

Summary

Cardiac traumatic injury is a rare entity that may result in significant adverse clinical outcomes. Variability in clinical presentation renders clinical diagnosis difficult, especially in the absence of a true gold standard. While cross-sectional imaging is rarely ordered to directly assess for cardiac injury, imaging is frequently utilized in trauma and may be valuable in providing clues to the diagnosis of cardiac injury and helping guide which injuries require further investigation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Mallinckrodt Institute of Radiology, 216 S. Kingshighway Blvd, St Louis, MO, 63110, USA

    Joseph Mansour MD, Demetrios A Raptis MD & Sanjeev Bhalla MD

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  1. Joseph Mansour MD
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  2. Demetrios A Raptis MD
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  3. Sanjeev Bhalla MD
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Correspondence to Joseph Mansour MD.

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Joseph Mansour, Demetrios A Raptis and Sanjeev Bhalla declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Mansour, J., Raptis, D.A. & Bhalla, S. Multimodality Imaging of Cardiac Trauma. Curr Treat Options Cardio Med 23, 26 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11936-021-00907-4

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