A few case reports describe the use of cardiac MR (CMR) in detecting viable myocardium using late gadolinium enhancement because of myocardial infarction in trauma patients [41,46] and a case report describing a heart herniation [48]. CMR is also useful for detecting cardiac injuries, particularly right ventricular injury and pericardial injury, quantifying valvular regurgitation, and detecting typical or atypical aortic dissection in patients. In many instances, the CMR protocol may be shortened to address the clinical question; however, it is still a longer examination than a CT scan. However, CMR may be helpful in selected patients with suspected cardiac trauma and equivocal echo findings. MRI Heart With Function and Inotropic Stress There is no relevant literature regarding the use of CMR with function and inotropic stress in a hemodynamically stable patient with blunt trauma to evaluate suspected cardiac injuries. MRI Heart With Function and Vasodilator Stress Perfusion There is no relevant literature regarding the use of CMR with function and inotropic stress in a hemodynamically stable patient with blunt trauma to evaluate suspected cardiac injuries. Radiography Chest In any trauma setting, chest radiography is the first imaging modality to identify indirect findings that infer cardiac or pericardial injuries. However, the role of chest radiography in blunt cardiac trauma is often limited in quality because of motion artifacts and overlying devices and garments. Longitudinal prospective studies examining the diagnostic yield of imaging in a blunt cardiac trauma have not been possible because identification of indirect findings that infer cardiac injury are rare and often missed and are mainly discussed in case reports. Chest radiography alone has limited ability to detect traumatic cardiac injuries.
Blunt Chest Trauma Suspected Cardiac Injury. A few case reports describe the use of cardiac MR (CMR) in detecting viable myocardium using late gadolinium enhancement because of myocardial infarction in trauma patients [41,46] and a case report describing a heart herniation [48]. CMR is also useful for detecting cardiac injuries, particularly right ventricular injury and pericardial injury, quantifying valvular regurgitation, and detecting typical or atypical aortic dissection in patients. In many instances, the CMR protocol may be shortened to address the clinical question; however, it is still a longer examination than a CT scan. However, CMR may be helpful in selected patients with suspected cardiac trauma and equivocal echo findings. MRI Heart With Function and Inotropic Stress There is no relevant literature regarding the use of CMR with function and inotropic stress in a hemodynamically stable patient with blunt trauma to evaluate suspected cardiac injuries. MRI Heart With Function and Vasodilator Stress Perfusion There is no relevant literature regarding the use of CMR with function and inotropic stress in a hemodynamically stable patient with blunt trauma to evaluate suspected cardiac injuries. Radiography Chest In any trauma setting, chest radiography is the first imaging modality to identify indirect findings that infer cardiac or pericardial injuries. However, the role of chest radiography in blunt cardiac trauma is often limited in quality because of motion artifacts and overlying devices and garments. Longitudinal prospective studies examining the diagnostic yield of imaging in a blunt cardiac trauma have not been possible because identification of indirect findings that infer cardiac injury are rare and often missed and are mainly discussed in case reports. Chest radiography alone has limited ability to detect traumatic cardiac injuries.