Computed Tomography Arteriography of the Upper and Lower Extremities in the Evaluation of Vascular Injuries in Trauma Patients

Abstract

Introduction: Conventional angiography is considered as the gold standard for investigating vascular diseases. However it
is invasive and it can fail to demonstrate involvement of the arterial wall and extravascular structures. Arterial puncture is not
required, and arterial wall involvement is well-demonstrated in computed tomography arteriography (CTA). As CTA had good
sensitivity and specifi city, it can be used as primary diagnostic modality in the evaluation of vascular pathologies in the patients
of trauma.
Aim: The aim was to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of CTA of upper and lower extremities in patients with trauma to the
extremities.
Material and Methods: The study included 15 patients with peripheral vascular injury in whom CTA was done.
Result: The present study included 15 patients with a history of trauma seen over a period of 2 months. In 8 patients CTA
accurately diagnosed the arterial involvement. It also accurately diagnosed 6 patients without any vascular involvement. It failed
to diagnose arterial involvement in 1 patient. Thus, the sensitivity and specifi city of CTA in trauma cases in the present study
was 88.89% and 100%, respectively.
Conclusion: CTA had good sensitivity and specifi city in the diagnosis of the patients with vascular injury in our study. Thus, it
can be used as primary diagnostic modality and can replace the conventional angiography in the evaluation of vascular injury
in patients of trauma.