Intermediate
Technical
IVT
pan-scan
Comprehensive CT imaging of the head, cervical spine, chest, abdomen, and pelvis in trauma patients.
Full Definition
A systematic CT imaging protocol that evaluates all major body regions from head to pelvis in a single study, typically used for severely injured or unconscious trauma patients. Pan-scanning allows rapid identification of life-threatening injuries across multiple body regions without requiring detailed physical examination. While controversial due to radiation exposure and cost, this approach can expedite diagnosis and treatment in critically injured patients where clinical examination is unreliable.
Usage
Usage note: Hyphenate pan-scan to distinguish from the verb 'to pan scan.'
In Context
- "The unconscious patient underwent immediate pan-scan imaging to identify occult injuries." — emergency department record
- "Pan-scan protocols should specify contrast timing and reconstruction parameters." — imaging guideline
Also known as
whole body CT
total body CT scan
Contrasted with
focused imaging
selective CT
Don't confuse with
trauma series
complete survey