A whole-body CT scan, often used to find injuries in a patient who is altered or cannot communicate specific injuries, is called what?

• A. Pan scan
• B. Amylase/Lipase
• C. A-line
• D. Debridement

Answer: (A)

When a patient is altered or unable to report symptoms after trauma, a single rapid imaging study that surveys the entire body to look for injuries is used. This is called a pan scan, or whole-body CT scan, because it images from head to pelvis to detect multiple injuries that the patient can’t communicate. It’s particularly helpful for quickly identifying life-threatening injuries and guiding urgent treatment.

The other terms are not imaging studies: amylase and lipase are blood tests for pancreatitis; an arterial line (A-line) is a monitoring/ blood-sampling device; and debridement is a surgical procedure to remove dead tissue.