[Diagnosis of pelvic fractures: synoptic views of the pelvis versus CT].
An attempt has been made, using 21 patients with pelvic fractures, to determine the circumstances in which plain films provide adequate information and when additional information can be obtained by CT. It was found that in all cases of acetabular fractures the diagnosis could be suspected on plain films, but that it proved impossible to demonstrate accurately the position of fragments, the degree of dislocation or the presence of intra-articular bone fragments. These problems could be solved by using CT. In patients with injury to the sacro-iliac joints or of the sacrum, the extent of the injury and the degree of pelvic instability was better shown by CT. All other bony lesions, such as fractures of the ilium, pubis, ischium or the symphysis could be diagnosed adequately by simple radiographs.