Imaging of Acute Thoracic Trauma

Thorax injury remains the third most common type of injury in trauma patients. With the number of trauma cases on the increase, the incidence of injuries to the thorax is proportionally increasing. The overall mortality rate of thoracic trauma is approximately 10% and is highest in patients with cardiac or tracheobronchial-esophageal injuries. More than two-thirds of cases of trauma in developed countries are caused by motor vehicle collisions. The remaining cases are the result of falls or blows from blunt objects.