Road traffic accidents are still a major cause of morbidity and mortality. With well-established whole-body CT protocols in trauma, radiologists are an integral part of trauma diagnosis and management teams. Five well-recognized traumatic syndromes (seat belt syndrome, handlebar syndrome, scapulothoracic dissociation, dashboard syndrome, and brake pedal injury) with their frequent associated complications should be diagnosed precociously according to the accident mechanism to avoid diagnostic delays and poor prognosis even if the circumstances seem minor.

BACKGROUND: Seat belt injuries are not uncommon. The use of seat belts is associated with a unique injury profile collectively termed \"the seat belt syndrome\". The aim is to aid in the early diagnosis of seat belt injuries.
METHODS: Two different patients presented to the emergency after sustaining a motor vehicle accident. Both were the drivers, restrained and had a frontal impact. On presentation they were hemodynamically stable with mild tenderness on the abdomen and the abdominal computed tomography (CT) did not show any signs of bowel or mesenteric injuries. The signs of peritonitis became obvious after 24h in one case and after 3 days in the other.
CONCLUSIONS: Early diagnosis provides better outcomes for patients with seat belt injuries, but this remains a challenge to trauma surgeons. The typical findings of peritonitis might not be present initially. The presence of abdominal wall ecchymosis (seat belt sign) increases the chance of intraabdominal injuries by eight folds.
CONCLUSIONS: Clinical signs of intestinal injuries might not be obvious on presentation. In the presence of seat belt sign the possibility of bowl injury must be suspected. Admit the patient for observation even if no clinical or radiological findings are present at presentation.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to establish the biomechanics, presentation and diagnosis of mesenteric avulsions following blunt abdominal trauma and reach a consensus on their overall management.
METHODS: A systematic review of literature in MedLine, Embase, Scopus and CINHAL in English language from 1951 to November 2014 was performed. A total of 20 reported cases were identified. Variables including patient\'s demographics, signs and symptoms, mechanism of injury, investigative modality, management, length of stay, follow-up and outcomes were reviewed and analyzed.
RESULTS: The median age of the cohort was 28.5 years (range 10-58 years), with a male-to-female ratio of 3:1. The commonest mechanism of injury was road traffic accident due to seat belt restraint (n = 12, 60 %). The commonest presentation was diffuse abdominal tenderness (n = 10, 45 %) followed by ecchymosis/bruising (n = 9, 40 %). Computed tomography (CT) remained the investigative modality of choice (n = 9, 45 %). All cases had an emergency exploratory laparotomy (n = 18, 90 %) within the initial 24 h and the median length of stay was 19 days (range 4-90 days). The overall mortality was 15 % (n = 3).
CONCLUSIONS: Mesenteric avulsion is rare and has a complex and vague presentation. Due to its potential mortality and morbidity, emergency physicians should keep a high index of suspicion in individuals with blunt abdominal trauma from any mechanism of injury.