Imaging limitations in evaluating blunt cardiac trauma: A case report

A 20-year old male presented with life-threatening polytrauma secondary to a motor vehicle accident. He had sustained injuries to the chest, including blunt cardiac trauma. On a short-term follow-up imaging, it was determined the patient had an injury to the main pulmonary artery and possible pericardial rupture. Given these imaging findings, he was taken to the operating room for emergent surgical intervention. Surgery revealed intracardiac injury; however, the pulmonary artery was intact. This case report is significant for the following two learning points: (a) The potential limitations of computed tomography when assessing intrathoracic injury, and (b) unique constellation of injuries secondary to trauma.