This case has a few learning points:
- Bowel and mesenteric trauma is difficult to recognize on CT - this patient had substantial traumatic injuries to bowel and mesentery and the findings are underwhelming on CT. There are often occult with findings of unexplained free fluid / hematoma being the only real evidence.
- Abdominal aortic injuries are rare, but in patients who survive to hospital intimal tears / dissections such as these are the most common.
- Seatbelt sign is associated with severe intra-abdominal injuries. Its presence should increased diagnostic suspicion of these injuries.