Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) 2025 – 400 Free Practice Questions to Pass the Exam

A CT angiogram is primarily used in trauma care to visualize blood vessels and assess for any potential vascular injuries or abnormalities. The key role it plays is in the identification of active extravasation, which refers to the leakage of blood from a vessel into surrounding tissues or cavities.

In trauma settings, detecting active bleeding can be critical for patient management, guiding further interventions such as surgery or endovascular procedures. The detailed imaging provided by a CT angiogram allows clinicians to see precisely where bleeding is occurring, aiding in the decision-making process regarding the need for intervention.

While assessing fracture patterns, evaluating organ injuries, or checking for air in the gastrointestinal tract are important aspects of trauma assessment, they do not specifically relate to the primary purpose of a CT angiogram. These other imaging modalities or assessments might use different imaging techniques like standard CT scans or ultrasound that are better suited for those particular evaluations.