Evaluation of Computed Tomography in Traumatic Injury of Pancreas

Computed Tomography(CT) was used in the evaluation of 180 patients suffering abdominal trauma.

There were 15 patients with CT and surgically proved pancreatic injuries, which include 13 cases of blunt trauma and 2 cases of penetrating trauma and 165 cases had normal CT scans.

A wide variety of injuries was detected. including 9 pancreatic lacerations or contusinos. 4 pancreatic fractures, and 2 post traumatic pseudocyst, were retrospectively reviewed to determine the role and accuracy of the CT scan in evaluating pancreatic injury.

A CT is of pancreatic trauma could be difficult to diagnosis in patients who are scanned within 24 hrs after an injury or to distinguish a motion or streak artifact caused by nasogastric tube or air oral contrast fluid level in the stomach.

The diagnosis of pancreatic injury requires a high index of suspicion with close scurtiny of the CT images.