Incidental findings in chest computed tomography of patients with thoracic trauma: what we need to know

M. Akçiçek

Department of Radiology, Malatya Training and Research Hospital, Malatya Turgut Ozal University, Malatya, Turkey. mehmet.akcicek@ozal.edu.tr

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• Radiology
• Traumatology

OBJECTIVE: This study emphasizes the importance of appropriately evaluating incidental findings (IF) detected in chest computed tomography (CCTs) of patients with trauma and provides related guidance and information.

PATIENTS AND METHODS: All patients aged ≥ 18 years who were admitted to the emergency department and underwent CCT for thoracic trauma were retrospectively screened, and 567 patients were included in the study. The findings were divided into five groups: those requiring immediate intervention, clinical evaluation, additional examination, and control examination after follow-up and those not requiring follow-up. Additionally, to evaluate the emergency reporting of these pathologies, the CCT reports were evaluated to reveal the IF rate.

RESULTS: The mean age of the 567 patients was 47.96 ± 19.38 years (18-102 years); of which, 372 (65.6%) were male and 195 (34.4%) were female. At least one IF was observed in 261 (46%) patients. The lungs of 81 (13.6%) patients exhibited the highest rate of IFs. No difference was observed between males and females in terms of the presence of at least one IF (p = 0.144). The mean age of the patients with IF was significantly higher than that of those without IF (p < 0.001). Of the 294 patients whose CCT was presented in an emergency report by a radiologist, 142 (48.6%) had at least one IF; however, no IF was mentioned in the reports of 77 patients (54.5%).

CONCLUSIONS: IFs should be properly reported according to their severity and included in patient records, consequently facilitating early treatment or additional examinations and eliminating the need for performing repeated examinations for those not requiring follow-up.

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