Radiology Review
From Revved Up to Banged Up
A motorcyclist is brought to your facility after crashing into another vehicle. There is obvious trauma to his head, face, and extremities. See...
ANSWER
The radiograph shows that the patient is intubated. The lungs are clear overall. There is a fractured, slightly displaced left clavicle. Of concern, though, is the widened appearance of the mediastinum. In patients with blunt chest trauma, there should be a high index of suspicion for a great vessel injury, warranting a chest CT with contrast for further evaluation. Fortunately, in this patient's case, CT was negative.
