DIAGNOSTIC YIELD OF CT SCAN IN FAST-NEGATIVE TRAUMA P: RETROSPECTIVE COHORT ANALYSISATIENTS ameralqadi2002@yahoo.com

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DIAGNOSTIC YIELD OF CT SCAN IN FAST-NEGATIVE TRAUMA P: RETROSPECTIVE COHORT ANALYSISATIENTS

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Maryam Abdullah 201911139@ajmanuni.ac.ae Ajman University. College of Medicine Clinical science Ajman United Arab Emirates

Mustafa Albadra Mustafa.albadra@skmca.ae Sheikh Khalifa Medical City Radiology Department Ajman United Arab Emirates

United Arab Emirates

Oral or Poster

Focused Assessment with Sonography for Trauma (FAST) is widely used for rapid bedside screening of intra‑abdominal free fluid in trauma and can expedite decision‑making while avoiding ionizing radiation and contrast exposure. However, FAST may miss solid‑organ, hollow‑viscus, mesenteric, or retroperitoneal injuries—lesions that are often captured on computed tomography (CT). Understanding the yield of CT when FAST is negative is critical to balancing radiation stewardship against the risk of missed injuries in hemodynamically stable patients.

To quantify the frequency and pattern of positive abdominal CT findings among trauma patients with a negative FAST, and to describe commonly affected organs in this cohort.A retrospective cohort study was conducted. Consecutive trauma presentations undergoing FAST (bedside ultrasound) and subsequent abdominal CT were reviewed. Demographics, mechanism of injury, and imaging results were abstracted. The primary outcome was the proportion of positive CT findings among patients with a negative FAST. Descriptive statistics were used.

FAST was performed in 193 trauma patients; 34 (17.6%) were FAST‑positive and 159 (82.4%) were FAST‑negative. Among the 159 FAST‑negative patients, 83 (52.2%) demonstrated positive intra‑abdominal findings on CT. Frequently involved organs included the liver, spleen, and kidneys; additional injuries included iliac fractures as well as bladder and pancreatic injuries.

Over half of FAST-negative trauma patients had positive abdominal CT findings. A negative FAST alone may miss significant injuries; protocols should balance radiation/resources with CT yield, especially when solid-organ or retroperitoneal injury is suspected. Prospective studies should refine imaging pathways by mechanism and hemodynamic status.