Utilization and Diagnostic Yield of Whole-Body CT in Polytrauma Patients: A Retrospective Cohort Study at a Tertiary Center in Oman

Background: Whole-body computed tomography (WBCT) is widely used in trauma care, but concerns remain regarding overuse and radiation exposure. This study evaluated WBCT utilization and diagnostic yield among polytrauma patients at Sultan Qaboos University Hospital (SQUH) in Oman. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted on adult polytrauma patients who underwent WBCT between June 2022 and May 2024. The primary outcome was the proportion of negative WBCT scans. Secondary outcomes included predictors of positive WBCT findings. Results: Among 566 patients (444 male (78.4%); mean age, 35.8 years) included in the study, 245 patients (43.3%) had negative WBCT scans. Positive scans were associated with hypotension (systolic blood pressure (SBP) <90 mmHg; OR 3.88), low Glasgow Coma Score (GCS) (<13; OR 0.16), hypoxia (oxygen saturation (SpO₂) <94%; OR 6.95), and high injury severity score (ISS) (>24; OR 12.14). Trauma activation cases had a higher positivity rate (74.5%, 223 patients) compared to non-activation cases (36.2%, 74 patients). Conclusion: WBCT remains valuable for detecting multisystem injuries, but selective use based on physiological markers and mechanism of injury is recommended to reduce unnecessary radiation exposure.