NEXUS Chest Decision Instrument for Blunt Chest Trauma
Assess the need for chest imaging after blunt trauma
About
The NEXUS Chest decision instrument for blunt chest trauma is a validated tool which may safely reduce the need for chest imaging in blunt trauma patients older than 14 years.
The decision tool was developed as chest imaging (CXR and CT) is the most common imaging in blunt trauma assessment and there is an interest in avoiding unnecessary imaging due to the impact on costs, emergency department time, and radiation exposure.
Patients with none of the following were found to be very low risk of thoracic injury seen on chest imaging (TICI):
- older than 60 years
- rapid deceleration mechanism (defined as a fall >20 ft / >6.0 m or motor vehicle crash >40 mph / >64 km/h)
- chest pain
- intoxication
- abnormal alertness/mental status
- distracting painful injury
- tenderness to chest wall palpation
The sensitivity and negative predictive value for clinically major TICI were 99.7% (95% CI, 98.2%-100.0%) and 99.9% (95% CI, 99.4%-100.0%), respectively.
The sensitivity and negative predictive value for clinically major or minor TICI were 99.0% (95% CI, 98.2%-99.4%) and 98.7% (95% CI, 98.1%-99.3%), respectively.
References
Rodriguez RM, Hendey GW, Mower W, Kea B, Fortman J, Merchant G, Hoffman JR.
Derivation of a decision instrument for selective chest radiography in blunt trauma.
Journal of Trauma 2011, 71 (3): 549-53
Rodriguez RM, Anglin D, Langdorf MI, Baumann BM, Hendey GW, Bradley RN, Medak AJ, Raja AS, Juhn P, Fortman J, Mulkerin W, Mower WR.
NEXUS chest: validation of a decision instrument for selective chest imaging in blunt trauma.
JAMA Surgery 2013, 148 (10): 940-6
Rodriguez RM, Hendey GW, Marek G, Dery RA, Bjoring A.
A pilot study to derive clinical variables for selective chest radiography in blunt trauma patients.
Annals of Emergency Medicine 2006, 47 (5): 415-8
The NEXUS Chest Decision Instrument for Blunt Chest Trauma calculator is created by QxMD.
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