A Prospective Observational Study in CT Evaluation of Solid Organs in Blunt Abdominal Trauma

Introduction: A prospective study was conducted at Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Medical College and Hospital on 40 patients with blunt abdominal trauma from July 2022 to January 2024. After obtaining informed consent, patient histories and clinical examinations were recorded. Inclusion criteria included all ages with blunt trauma due to accidents, falls, and other blunt injuries, excluding unstable patients, pregnant patients, and those previously evaluated. Methodology: The study assessed the effectiveness of CT in diagnosing solid organ injuries. CT scans of the abdomen and pelvis were conducted using TOSHIBA ACTIVION 16, with patients scanned in helical mode. Imaging parameters were 120 kV, 150 mAs, and 0.7?1.5 mm section thickness. Scans were analysed for solid organ injuries to help guide management decisions. Results and Discussion: The majority of cases involved individuals aged 21?30 years. Men (85%) were more affected than women (15%), with road accidents (47.5%) and falls (37.5%) being common causes. Liver injuries were most frequent (42.5%), followed by spleen (32%), kidney (15%), adrenal (7.5%), and pancreas (2.5%) injuries, aligning with existing studies. CT grading correlated with intra-operative findings in 94.73% of cases, with significant agreement (kappa = 0.831, p < 0.01). Single organ injuries (87.5%) were more common than multiple injuries (12.5%). n the present study, the spleen was commonly affected, with 77% of splenic injuries presenting as lacerations, 30% as hematomas, and 15% as contusions. Liver injuries were also significant, with lacerations observed in all cases (100%), followed by hematomas in 59% and contusions in 35% of cases. For kidney injuries, 50% were lacerations, 33% were hematomas, and 17% were contusions. These findings suggest that lacerations and hematomas are the most frequent types of injuries for the spleen, liver, and kidneys, while contusions are less common. Most cases (52.5%) were managed conservatively, supporting CT?s role in guiding treatment. Rib fractures and hemothorax were noted in 32.5% and 37.5% of patients, respectively. Recovery was achieved in 96% of cases, with a 4% mortality rate. Conclusion: CT grading strongly correlated with surgical findings, validating its reliability for pre-operative evaluation of intra-abdominal injuries.