Computed tomography imaging of abdominal trauma in children.
The authors discuss the role of computed tomography (CT) in the evaluation of children following blunt abdominal trauma. Appropriate techniques for scanning children are described, as well as clinical indications that place children at high risk and low risk for abdominal injury. Examples of both solid organ and bowel injuries are shown, with special emphasis on the correlation of CT appearance and clinical outcomes. The authors conclude that CT is an effective tool for the diagnosis of abdominal injury in the pediatric patient, and that the clinical impact of CT appears to be changing with the increasing use of nonoperative therapy for solid organ injury.
Department of Radiology, Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, Baltimore, MD 21205.
G A
GA
Taylor
C J
CJ
Sivit
D000007:Abdominal Injuries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014949:Wounds, Nonpenetrating / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*