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Management of Polytrauma Patients

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Diagnostic Imaging in Polytrauma Patients

Abstract

Trauma is one of the main leading causes of death, and it requires an efficient and well-organized network, including extra and in-hospital care, to significantly reduce the injury-related mortality.

The management of polytraumatized patients remains a challenging issue and continued efforts seek to develop rescue techniques and promote guidelines for the management of traumatized patients. The immediate recognition of life-threatening conditions and subsequent care of the patient at the site of the accident are two important challenges to achieving a significant reduction in morbidity and mortality. In this overview, we examine the current literature on the management of polytraumatized patients—from rescue to in-hospital care.

Particular emphasis is given to the key role played by the radiologist by choosing both the appropriate diagnostic and interventional radiological means for the trauma care. In particular, the advantages and disadvantages of whole-body computed tomography (WBCT), which has become the standard diagnostic technique during the resuscitation of severely injured patients, are examined and critically reviewed.

In addition, some aspects of the recent advances in imaging are presented, and some recommendations are provided.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiology, Careggi University Hospital, L.go G. A. Brambilla 3, 50134, Florence, Italy

    Vittorio Miele, Gloria Addeo, Diletta Cozzi, Ginevra Danti & Luigi Bonasera

  2. Department of Emergency Radiology, S. Camillo Hospital, Rome, Italy

    Margherita Trinci

  3. Department of Radiology, Second University of Naples, Piazza Miraglia, Naples, Italy

    Roberto Grassi

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  1. Vittorio Miele
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  2. Gloria Addeo
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Correspondence to Vittorio Miele .

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  1. Department of Radiology, Careggi University Hospital, Florence, Italy

    Vittorio Miele

  2. Dept of Emergency Radiology, S. Camillo Hospital, Rome, Italy

    Margherita Trinci

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Miele, V. et al. (2018). Management of Polytrauma Patients. In: Miele, V., Trinci, M. (eds) Diagnostic Imaging in Polytrauma Patients. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-62054-1_1

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