Pulmonary contusions and lacerations: CT findings that every radiologist must know

Pulmonary contusions and lacerations are the main types of pulmonary parenchymal traumatic lesions. They are responsible for significant morbidity, and mortality. It may be challenging to differentiate them from other causes of pulmonary abnormalities in trauma patients, even using chest radiography. Nevertheless, there are specific computerized tomography findings that allow the better characterization of these entities. They are didactically described and explained here, using illustrative cases from a Brazilian tertiary trauma center. Also, some recent advances and discoveries in the scientific literature are commented on. All emergency radiologists must be familiarized with the findings presented here, providing more specific diagnoses, and better care to usually critical patients.