Computed tomographic (CT) angiography is the first choice of diagnosis in traumatic vessel injury in the lower extremities, replacing angiography. The purpose of this study was to investigate the clinical reliability of CT angiography through a retrospective study.

Seventeen patients underwent CT angiography before surgery for traumatic vessel injury in the lower extremities from 2009 to 2010, and a comparative analysis of operative findings in all patients with a positive predictive value and sensitivity were measured.

In all patients, 16 artery ruptures and 1 compartment syndrome occurred. In 15 artery ruptures, preoperative findings of CT angiography and surgical findings were consistent, and the positive predictive value was 93.8%. One patient with posterior tibial artery rupture was revealed as normal in CT angiography; thus, sensitivity was 93.8% (15/16 patients), and the accuracy rate was 88.2% (15/17 patients).

Though CT angiography is a reliable tool for diagnosis in traumatic vessel injury in the lower extremities, a more invasive test will be needed, especially peripheral angiography or diagnostic exploration, in cases of relatively small vessel injuries around the ankle or compartment syndrome because of low accuracy.