CT and Sonography of Traumatic Fat Embolism in the Common Femoral Vein

at embolism occurs in nearly all patients (>90%) with traumatic skeletal injury and has also been shown during reamed intramedullary nailing. The development of clinically apparent fat embolism syndrome is unusual but is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. The diagnosis of fat embolism syndrome is based on clinical criteria and may be masked by associated injuries. In our patient the CT and sonographic findings of traumatic fat embolism in the common femoral vein served to alert the clinicians to the possibility of clinical deterioration. To our knowledge, correlation between these imaging modalities has not yet been reported in this condition.