[Traumatic chest lesions. Computed tomography findings].

Trauma is nowadays one of the most common causes of death and traumatic thoracic lesions are important agravant to trauma patients. In this work the aspects of computed tomography from 200 cases of thoracic trauma were studied. Lung lesions predominated, found in 192 cases (96%), manifested as contusions in 178 cases (89%), atelectasis in 41 cases (20.5%), lacerations in 15 cases (7.5%) and hematomas in 6 cases (3%). Pleural lesions were showed in 140 cases (70%), among them in 121 cases (60.5%) there were hemothorax and in 84 cases (42%), pneumothorax. Mediastinal lesions were observed in 28 cases (14%), with pneumomediastinum in 18 cases (9%), mediastinal hematoma in 7 cases (3.5%), hemopericardium in 4 cases (2%) and aortic lesions in 3 cases (1.5%). Diaphragmatic rupture was seen in 8 patients (4%). Soft tissue emphysema was demonstrated in 36 cases (18%).