Applied Radiology: September 2006; 38-43.
Munera F.
In the evaluation of vascular injuries, catheter angiography has been the gold standard imaging modality. As computed tomography (CT) technology has evolved, helical multislice CT (MSCT) angiography has become an integral part of the initial assessment of many injured patients. The ability to obtain high-resolution images with MSCT during optimal contrast enhancement helps detect the presence and define the extent of vascular injuries. CT angiography (CTA) has increasingly been used to diagnose arterial injuries resulting from blunt and penetrating trauma of the neck and extremities.1"7 At our institution, CTA has replaced angiography for diagnosis of most vascular injuries resulting from penetrating and blunt trauma to these regions. This article describes the author's current imaging protocol with MSCT, the spectrum of diagnostic findings seen in vascular trauma, and the role of CTA in the planning of vascular injury management.