Abstract
INTRODUCTION: To evaluate the use of contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) in patients with blunt abdominal trauma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A total of 133 hemodynamically stable patients were evaluated using ultrasonography (US), CEUS and multislice Computer Tomography (CT) da eliminare. RESULTS: In 133 patients, CT identified 84 lesions: 48 cases of splenic injury, 21 of liver injury, 13 of kidney or adrenal gland injury and 2 of pancreatic injury. US identified free fluid or parenchymal abnormalities in 59/84 patients positive at CT and free fluid in 20/49 patients negative at CT. CEUS revealed 81/84 traumatic injuries identified at CT and ruled out traumatic injuries in 48/49 negative at CT. Sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values for US were 70.2%, 59.2%, 74.7% and 53.7%, respectively; for CEUS the values were 96.4%, 98%, 98.8% and 94.1%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: The study showed that CEUS is more accurate than US and nearly as accurate as CT, and CEUS can therefore be proposed for the initial evaluation of patients with blunt abdominal trauma.