Pulmonary contusion. Evaluation and classification by computed tomography.

Computed tomography (CT) is the most accurate clinically available method of assessing the pulmonary parenchyma and the pleural space in trauma. CT allows rapid classification and quantitation of pulmonary parenchymal injuries. Correlation of CT findings with histologic studies has changed our concept of pulmonary contusion from that of interstitial disease to that of pulmonary laceration with blood pneumonia.