Cervical seatbelt sign and CTA

Summary: No CTA for isolated cervical seatbelt sign.

Good blog post.
http://wueverydayebm.blogspot.com/2014/07/does-cervical-seatbelt-sign-mandate.html
Take Home:
CT-angiogram is not necessarily indicated based on the finding of a cervical seatbelt sign alone in the absence of significant hematoma, neurologic symptoms, or other traumatic injuries.

EAST Guideline:
https://www.east.org/education/practice-management-guidelines/blunt-cerebrovascular-injury
What patients are of high enough risk, so that diagnostic evaluation should be pursued for the screening and diagnosis of BCVI?
1. Patients presenting with any neurologic abnormality that is unexplained by a diagnosed injury should be evaluated for BCVI.
2. Blunt trauma patients presenting with epistaxis from a suspected arterial source after trauma should be evaluated for BCVI.
3. Asymptomatic patients with significant blunt head trauma as defined below are at significantly increased risk for BCVI and screening should be considered. Risk factors are as follows:
* Glasgow Coma Scale score ≤8;
* Petrous bone fracture;
* Diffuse axonal injury;
* Cervical spine fracture particularly those with (i) fracture of C1 to C3 and (ii) fracture through the foramen transversarium;
* Cervical spine fracture with subluxation or rotational component; and
* Lefort II or III facial fractures

From EAST Guideline:
An isolated cervical seat belt sign without other risk factors and normal physical examination has failed to be identified as an independent risk factor in two retrospective studies and should not be used as the sole criteria to stratify patients for screening.
References:
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12013287
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12013287

Alternate Screening Guidelines:

Screening Criteria for BCVI adapted from Biffl et al[10] (with permission)
Screening Criteria for BCVIInjury mechanism

  • Severe cervical hyperextension/rotation or hyperflexion, particularly if associated with
    • Displaced midface or complex mandibular fracture
    • Closed head injury consistent with diffuse axonal injury
  • Near hanging resulting in anoxic brain injury Physical signs
  • Seat belt abrasion or other soft tissue injury of the anterior neck resulting in significant swelling or altered mental status

Fracture in proximity to internal carotid or vertebral artery

  • Basilar skull fracture involving the carotid canal
  • Cervical vertebral body fracture
Denver Modification of Screening Criteria for BCVI adapted from Cothren et al[51] (with permission)
Denver Modification of Screening CriteriaSigns/symptoms of BCVI

  • Arterial hemorrhage
  • Cervical bruit
  • Expanding cervical hematoma
  • Focal neurological deficit
  • Neurologic examination incongruous with CAT scan findings
  • Ischemic stroke on secondary CAT scan

Risk factors for BCVI

  • High-energy transfer mechanism with
    • Lefort II or III fracture
    • Cervical spine fracture patterns: subluxation, fractures extending into the transverse foramen, fractures of C1-C3
    • Basilar skull fracture with carotid canal involvement
    • Diffuse axonal injury with GCS =6
    • Near hanging with anoxic brain injury

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