NEXUS criteria for chest X-ray in blunt chest trauma
Age > 60 years
Rapid deceleration mechanism (fall from > 6 m or motor vehicle crash > 64 km/hour)
Chest pain
Intoxication
Altered mental status
Distracting painful injury
Chest wall tenderness
Risk of significant intrathoracic injury is low. Imaging not required.
Reference
Robert M Rodriguez, Gregory W Hendey, William Mower et al. Derivation of a decision instrument for selective chest radiography in blunt trauma. J Trauma. 2011 Sep;71(3):549-53.
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