How precise and reliable is ultrasonography as a primary tool for injury assessment in blunt abdominal trauma?
A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted of prospective clinical trials of ultrasonography for blunt abdominal trauma. Publications were retrieved by structured searching among databases, review articles and major text books. Authors and experts in the field were contacted for original and unpublished data. For statistical analysis, summary receiver operating characteristic curves (SROCs) were computed using weighted and robust regression models, with Q* denoting the shoulder of the curve. Post-test probabilities were calculated as a function of pooled likelihood ratios (LRs).
