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Ultrasonographic diagnosis of abdominal free fluid: accuracy comparison of emergency physicians and radiologists

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European Journal of Trauma and Emergency Surgery Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Objective

Blunt abdominal trauma is a diagnostic challenge for emergency physicians and ultrasonography is one of the diagnostic tools used in this type of injuries. The aim of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic value of ultrasonographies performed by emergency physicians and radiologists.

Methods

This prospective diagnostic study was performed in the emergency departments of two trauma centers in Iran during a period of 12 months. The subjects were all patients with blunt abdominal trauma that were candidated for abdominopelvic computed tomography (CT) scanning in our emergency departments. The results of focused assessment with sonography for trauma (FAST) performed by emergency physicians and radiologists were compared blindly with the results of CT scans performed by radiologists. The sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values of diagnosis for different abdominal anatomic areas were calculated.

Results

In total, 450 patients undergoing FAST and CT scanning were studied. The sensitivity of radiologists’ diagnoses for Morison’s, splenorenal, perivesical, and pleural effusion areas were, respectively, 88.0, 70.0, 38.0, and 30.0 %. The corresponding values for emergency physicians’ diagnoses were, respectively, 82.0, 60.0, 28.0, and 30.0 %. The specificity of radiologists’ diagnoses in the mentioned areas were, respectively, 98.9, 100, 93.1, and 100 %, and for emergency physicians, they were, respectively, 98.9, 100, 96.0, and 100 %.

Conclusion

Emergency physicians showed a promising performance in applying FAST in blunt abdominal trauma. The specificity of ultrasonographic diagnosis in the emergency physicians group and the radiologists group were comparable, while radiologists showed a higher performance regarding the sensitivity of the ultrasonographic diagnosis.

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Acknowledgments

The authors confirm that were not in receipt of any grants.

Conflict of interest

There are no potential conflicts of interest for each of the authors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Kerman Neuroscience Research Center, Kerman University of Medical Sciences, Kerman, Islamic Republic of Iran

    S. Tajoddini

  2. Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Islamic Republic of Iran

    S. Shams Vahdati

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  1. S. Tajoddini
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  2. S. Shams Vahdati
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Correspondence to S. Tajoddini.

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Tajoddini, S., Shams Vahdati, S. Ultrasonographic diagnosis of abdominal free fluid: accuracy comparison of emergency physicians and radiologists. Eur J Trauma Emerg Surg 39, 9–13 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00068-012-0219-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00068-012-0219-5

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