The Radiographic Findings in Travelers with Chest Trauma Referred to a Tertiary Hospital in South Khorasan, Iran

Introduction: Currently, trauma is the main reason of mortality among 1-44 years old people and the third common reason of death throughout all ages. The aim of this study is to examine the radiographic findings in chest trauma patients referring to the Imam Reza Hospital in Birjand during the years of 2013-2014. Methods: The patients meeting the criteria for the entrance to the study were examined and the frequency of radiographic findings in conventional x-ray and CT scan in the mentioned patients was recorded. After data collection, they were introduced to the SPSS 15 software, in which descriptive statistics and suitable statistical tests were analyzed at α=0.05. Results: Based on the results of this study, the most common radiologic finding in chest trauma patients was rib fracture (21.9%). Other radiologic findings, in order of prevalence, were: clavicle fracture (11.7%), pneumothorax (9.3%), spine fracture (7.6%), Hemothorax (6.3%), increased heart shadow (2.2%), wide mediastinum (1.9%), sternum fracture (1.7%), and pleural effusion (1.2%), respectively. There was a significant relationship between radiologic findings and the type of trauma (P<0.05). Conclusion: We found that clavicle fracture, pneumothorax, spine fracture, and hemothorax are the most common findings followings in chest trauma. Based on the results, as the type of trauma (penetrating or blunt) can have a direct relationship with its resulting pathology, modification of sociocultural structures should be considered in this regard.