HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Figures Only Full Text Full Text (PDF) CME Test (opens in a new window) Submit a response Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Miller-Thomas, M. M. Articles by Cohen, A. M. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Miller-Thomas, M. M. Articles by Cohen, A. M. Related Collections Vascular and/or Interventional Radiology Emergency Radiology

Diagnosing Traumatic Arterial Injury in the Extremities with CT Angiography: Pearls and Pitfalls¹

¹ From the Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Imaging, University of Texas Medical School at Houston, 6431 Fannin St, Houston, TX 77030. Presented as an education exhibit at the 2004 RSNA Annual Meeting. Received February 17, 2005; revision requested March 22 and received April 5; accepted April 15. All authors have no financial relationships to disclose. Address correspondence to M.M.M.T. (e-mail: Michelle.M.Miller-Thomas{at}uth.tmc.edu).

Computed tomographic (CT) angiography is a reliable and convenient imaging modality for diagnosing arterial injuries after blunt and penetrating trauma to the extremities. It is a noninvasive modality that could replace conventional arteriography as the initial diagnostic study for arterial injuries after trauma to the extremities. The technique requires scanning with multidetector helical CT after rapid intravenous injection of iodinated contrast material. The CT angiographic signs of arterial injuries in the extremities are active extravasation of contrast material, pseudoaneurysm formation, abrupt narrowing of an artery, loss of opacification of a segment of artery, and arteriovenous fistula formation. Metallic streak artifact, motion artifact, and inadequate arterial opacification may render a CT angiogram nondiagnostic. Studies have shown the sensitivity of CT angiography to be 90%–95.1% and its specificity 98.7%–100% for detecting arterial injury to the extremities after trauma.

© RSNA, 2005

This article has been cited by other articles:

				M. S. Gakhal and K. A. Sartip CT Angiography Signs of Lower Extremity Vascular Trauma Am. J. Roentgenol., July 1, 2009; 193(1): W49 - W57. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Pieroni, B. R. Foster, S. W. Anderson, J. L. Kertesz, J. T. Rhea, and J. A. Soto Use of 64-Row Multidetector CT Angiography in Blunt and Penetrating Trauma of the Upper and Lower Extremities RadioGraphics, May 1, 2009; 29(3): 863 - 876. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. L. Kertesz, S. W. Anderson, A. M. Murakami, S. Pieroni, J. T. Rhea, and J. A. Soto Detection of Vascular Injuries in Patients with Blunt Pelvic Trauma by Using 64-Channel Multidetector CT RadioGraphics, January 1, 2009; 29(1): 151 - 164. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				E. K. Fishman, K. M. Horton, and P. T. Johnson Multidetector CT and Three-dimensional CT Angiography for Suspected Vascular Trauma of the Extremities RadioGraphics, May 1, 2008; 28(3): 653 - 665. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B. Ghai, N. Panda, J. K. Makkar, and A. K. Saxena Pediatric Computed Tomographic Scan with Anesthesia: What the Anesthesiologist Should Know Anesth. Analg., December 1, 2006; 103(6): 1623 - 1623. [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Ryzewicz, M. Robinson, J. McConnell, and B. Lindeque Vascular Injury During Fixation of an Intertrochanteric Hip Fracture in a Patient with Severe Atherosclerosis. A Case Report J. Bone Joint Surg. Am., November 1, 2006; 88(11): 2483 - 2486. [Full Text] [PDF]