Abstract
Purpose: To evaluate the effect of a time-prioritized whole-body CT (WBCT) protocol for trauma on CT room dwell time, contrast enhancement, and radiation dose compared with the conventional protocol.
Methods: We retrospectively analyzed trauma patients who underwent WBCT between April 1, 2023 and October 31, 2024. Patients in cardiac arrest on arrival were excluded. A total of 64 patients were included (conventional group, n=23; time-prioritized group, n=41). All scans were performed using an Aquilion ONE PRISM (Canon Medical systems, Japan). Evaluation items included CT room dwell time measured manually, arterial-phase aortic attenuation (at the arch, just below the diaphragm, and femoral level), and total dose-length product (DLP; head + trunk). Between-group comparisons were conducted using the Mann-Whitney U test, with p<0.05 considered statistically significant.
Results: The time-prioritized protocol significantly reduced dwell time (median 10:04 → 7:32; mean 9:52 → 7:30). Aortic attenuation showed no significant differences at all three measurement levels, suggesting preserved contrast enhancement. The median total DLP increased from 3,144 to 3,665 mGy·cm in the time-prioritized group.
Discussion: The time-prioritized WBCT protocol achieved a clinically meaningful reduction in CT room dwell time without compromising arterial-phase aortic enhancement. However, this improvement was accompanied by an increased radiation dose. The protocol may facilitate faster trauma management, highlighting the importance of dose optimization according to patient condition.
