Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS) Practice Exam

Looking at radiology images for missed injuries during a tertiary survey is pivotal for comprehensive trauma care. The tertiary survey is a systematic review designed to identify any injuries that were not detected during initial assessments or imaging, especially in cases where patient status has changed or when there is a high suspicion of additional injuries.

By reviewing the imaging results carefully, medical professionals can uncover potential overlooked injuries that could significantly impact the patient’s treatment plan and outcomes. This step is particularly vital in trauma cases, where multiple injuries may occur, and subtle findings on imaging can guide further interventions, surgeries, or monitoring.

In this context, opting to ignore imaging results could lead to missed critical information that could compromise patient safety and care. Scheduling more scans without a thorough review of existing images might be unnecessary and could expose the patient to additional risks associated with imaging. Sending images to the family, instead of focusing on medical evaluation, does not promote patient-centered care and can lead to misunderstandings regarding the patient's condition. Therefore, inspecting radiology images for missed injuries is the best practice during the tertiary survey.