Chapter 11 Intensive Care Unit

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SECTION 1 • Techniques and Methods in Critical Care

CT Chest Carinal Level

CT Chest Heart Level

FIGURE 11-13. Top: The normal structures visualized by a vascular-contrasted axial CT image at the carinal level. Bottom: The normal cardiac structures visualized by a vascular-contrasted axial CT image at the midchest level.

and in-suite interpretation. Appropriate concern has been voiced over the risks of moving patients out of the ICU for imaging studies; however, care- fully arranged transport is routinely performed rea- sonably safely. The range of physiologic changes

observed in patients transported to radiology suite is comparable to that of patients who remain in the ICU for a similar time. The most important feature of safe transport is to ensure that all vital supports can be effectively maintained and that adequate