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A retrospective analysis of mandibular trauma radiology dictations

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Abstract

Objectives

This study aims to determine the factors that influence the quality of radiology reports of maxillofacial computed tomography (CT) scans from patients presenting to the emergency department who sustained mandible fractures. We discuss specific, pertinent details that were either included or excluded from the report that could potentially affect the operating surgeon’s treatment plan.

Methods

A retrospective chart review was completed for a total of 249 patients from 2008 through 2012 who sustained mandibular trauma and underwent multi-detector computed tomography scanning in the emergency department setting. The radiology report was analyzed for each patient for the presence or absence of the following data: degree of fracture displacement, inferior alveolar nerve, foramen or canal involvement, anatomic location of fracture(s), fracture type categorization (simple, compound, comminuted), presence or absence of teeth in line of fracture, and mention of temporomandibular joint.

Results

Radiologists uniformly mention the anatomic location of mandible fractures (247/249, 99 %) and usually make mention of the degree of mandible fracture displacement (176/247, 71 %). The temporomandibular joint is mentioned about half the time (131/249, 52.6 %). Mention of nerve canal involvement in the fracture is most likely when only a maxillofacial CT is ordered (69/105, 65.7 %, p = 0.0433).

Conclusions

More attention should be given to the clinically important characteristics of mandible fractures. A uniform approach for interpreting CT scans and a template for reporting them will improve the overall quality of communication between the radiologist and surgeon.

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Conflict of interest

Author Thomas Hagopian, Author James Parelli, Author Lisa Tran, Author Benjamin Abt, and Author Martin Steed declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Human/Animal rights

This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by the any of the authors.

Ethical standard

All procedures followed were in accordance with the ethical standards of the responsible committee on human experimentation (institutional and national) and with the Helsinki Declaration of 1964 and later revision. Informed consent was obtained from all patients for being included in the study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA

    Thomas Hagopian

  2. Division of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, Emory University School of Medicine, Atlanta, GA, USA

    James Parelli & Lisa Tran

  3. Division of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, USA

    Benjamin Abt

  4. Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, MUSC College of Dental Medicine, 173 Ashley Ave., BSB Room 249, MUSC, Charleston, SC, 29425, USA

    Martin Steed

Authors
  1. Thomas Hagopian
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  2. James Parelli
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  3. Lisa Tran
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  4. Benjamin Abt
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  5. Martin Steed
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Martin Steed.

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Hagopian, T., Parelli, J., Tran, L. et al. A retrospective analysis of mandibular trauma radiology dictations. Oral Radiol 31, 36–40 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11282-014-0176-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11282-014-0176-2

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