Value of abdominal CT in patients of the surgical intensive care unit

The purpose of the retrospective study reported was to examine the indications, findings and therapeutic consequences of 88 consecutive CT examinations of the abdomen of 62 patients of a surgical intensive care unit. The CT examinations were performed within 12 hours following indication. The most frequent indications were sepsis with suspected intra-abdominal foci (72.7%), suspected lesion of intra-abdominal organs due to a serious accident (13.6%), and acutely necrotising pancreatitis (11.4%). Clinically relevant findings were obtained in 71.6% of the patients, in 43.2% the decision was for invasive treatment (of 38 patients, 28 treated by surgery, and 10 by other interventional measures) within 48 hours, which meant an essential modification of hitherto planned treatment. Patients with a high MOF score (>5) exhibited a significantly higher rate of pathologic findings than patients with a low MOF score (0-2). In the cases of suspected organ lesions, CT did not add any further information. (orig./MG)