ACR Appropriateness Criteria® Rib Fractures

Publication date: May 2019Source: Journal of the American College of Radiology, Volume 16, Issue 5, SupplementAuthor(s): Expert Panel on Thoracic Imaging:, Travis S. Henry, Edwin F. Donnelly, Phillip M. Boiselle, Traves D. Crabtree, Mark D. Iannettoni, Geoffrey B. Johnson, Ella A. Kazerooni, Archana T. Laroia, Fabien Maldonado, Kathryn M. Olsen, Carlos S. Restrepo, Kyungran Shim, Arlene Sirajuddin, Carol C. Wu, Jeffrey P. KanneAbstractRib fractures are the most common thoracic injury after minor blunt trauma. Although rib fractures can produce significant morbidity, the diagnosis of injuries to underlying organs is arguably more important as these complications are likely to have the most significant clinical impact. Isolated rib fractures have a relatively low morbidity and mortality and treatment is generally conservative. As such, evaluation with standard chest radiographs is usually sufficient for the diagnosis of rib fractures, and further imaging is generally not appropriate as there is little data that undiagnosed isolated rib fractures after minor blunt trauma affect management or outcomes. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation frequently results in anterior rib fractures and chest radiographs are usually appropriate (and sufficient) as the initial imaging modality in these patients. In patients with suspected pathologic fractures, chest CT or Tc-99m bone scans are usually appropriate and complementary modalities to chest radiography based on the clinical scenario.The America...
Source: Journal of the American College of Radiology - Category: Radiology Source Type: research