Observational studyEmergency radiology2026
Comparative analysis of occult and overt rib fractures after blunt thoracic trauma using initial and follow-up computed tomography.
Observational study in Emergency radiology, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundThe accurate diagnosis of rib fractures is clinically important because these injuries are associated with complications. Despite its advantages, computed tomography is not infallible, and rib fractures may remain undetected on initial examinations.
objectiveThis study aims to perform a CT-based comparative analysis of occult and overt rib fractures.
methodsThis longitudinal observational study included hospitalized patients presenting with blunt chest trauma. The patients were classified as having either overt rib fractures or occult rib fractures. Demographic and clinical data, including age, sex, and trauma severity, were retrospectively extracted from medical records. All CT examinations were performed using a standardized protocol and independently reviewed by two experienced radiologists.
resultsA total of 313 patients with a median age of 34.00 years, comprising of 62.3% males were included. Overall injury severity was high, with 82.7% of patients presenting with moderate to severe thoracic injury. Occult fractures were more frequently located in the posterior rib arc and demonstrated higher CT attenuation values. The prevalence of pleural thickening and pulmonary contusion was similar between groups, whereas associated thoracic skeletal injuries were more common in the overt group. Cortical irregularity (87.8%) and non-sharp angulation (70.5%) were frequent in occult fractures.
conclusionOccult rib fractures may be missed on initial CT imaging despite trauma severity comparable to that of patients with overt rib fractures. Thus, the absence of a visible fracture line on initial CT should not be interpreted as evidence of minor injury, particularly in patients with moderate to severe thoracic trauma.
Indexed as
Identifiers
42071163What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.