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Learn About Conditions and Procedures

What is Trauma?

Trauma is a serious injury or shock to the body. It is caused by a physical force such as violence or an accident. The injury may be complicated by psychiatric, behavioral, and social factors.

It is critical to have an entire team immediately available to provide care to an injured patient 24-hours a day. This teamwork starts at the scene of the injury where a coordinated, statewide pre-hospital medical system rapidly transports the injured patient from the scene to the hospital providing the appropriate level of care according to criteria established in the statewide trauma regulations. Once at the hospital, a complete team of surgeons, emergency physicians and nurses continue the life-saving treatment.

This team approach to care of the injured patient has had a dramatic impact on saving lives.

Minimally Invasive Procedures for Massive Bleeding

Injuries take many forms. The most advanced hospitals can treat injuries with a variety of approaches that involve well-known ones, like surgery, and newer ones where minimally invasive procedures can replace some surgeries.

As a Level 1 Trauma Center, Hartford Hospital has Interventional Radiologists as part of the Trauma Team. They perform procedures such as "embolization" which is a recognized interventional radiology technique that is used to treat trauma patients with massive bleeding.

Click here to see some of the advanced interventional techniques available at Hartford Hospital.

Learn more about trauma, or search below to learn about other health conditions.

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X-ray

by Krisha McCoy, MS

En Español (Spanish Version)

Definition | Reasons for Test | Possible Complications | What to Expect | Call Your Doctor

Definition

X-rays use a small dose of radiation to create pictures of the inside of the body.

X-ray of Teeth

Reasons for Test

X-rays can be taken of any part of the body. They are especially good for looking at injuries to bones.

X-rays can also be used to:

Find an infection
Locate tumors
Look for fluid in the lungs
Look for problems in the abdomen
Diagnose heart and large blood vessel problems

Possible Complications

An x-ray uses radiation to make images. The low levels of radiation from a single x-ray will not effect most people. If you are pregnant or think you may be pregnant talk to your doctor before the x-ray. Radiation may be harmful to developing babies.

What to Expect

Before your x-ray is taken, you may be asked to remove jewelry and put on a hospital gown.

Let your doctor know if you are pregnant.

A lead shield may be placed on parts of your body that are not being x-rayed. This will help reduce your exposure to radiation.

The x-ray device will be placed over the part of your body being studied. You will be asked to remain as still as possible while the images are taken. The x-ray device will send x-rays through your body. The x-rays will be captured on the other side of your body by a computer or on film.

You will be able to resume your daily activities after the x-ray is complete.

A few minutes

The x-ray will be sent to a radiologist. A report will be sent to you and/or your doctor.

Call Your Doctor

Call your doctor if you have any questions or concerns.

In case of an emergency, call for medical help right away.

American College of Radiology

http://www.radiologyinfo.org

Radiation-Emitting Products

Food and Drug Administration

http://www.fda.gov/Radiation-EmittingProducts/default.htm

Canadian Association of Radiologists

http://www.car.ca

Canadian Institute for Health Information

http://www.cihi.ca

Grainger RG, et al. Grainger & Allison's Diagnostic Radiology: A Textbook of Medical Imaging. 5th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Saunders; 2008.

Patient safety: radiation dose. Radiological Society of North America website. Available at: http://www.radiologyinfo.org/en/safety/index.cfm?pg=sfty_xray&bhcp=1. Accessed. Updated April 25, 2012. Accessed November 19, 2012.

Last reviewed November 2012 by Brian Randall, MD

Please be aware that this information is provided to supplement the care provided by your physician. It is neither intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. CALL YOUR HEALTHCARE PROVIDER IMMEDIATELY IF YOU THINK YOU MAY HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified health provider prior to starting any new treatment or with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.