title: [Pediatric fracture diagnosis--ultra-low-dose CT with an effective dose equal to that of radiographs].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Computed tomography (CT) plays an important role in trauma diagnosis in children, especially for complex fractures. The aim of this study was to examine the diagnostic value of ultra-low-dose-CT (ULD-CT) with an effective dose equal to that of radiographs in an experimental study and to compare its results with those of radiographs.
  
  
  METHODS
  Limb bones of dead young pigs served as a model for pediatric bones. A total of 51 fractured and non-fractured bones were examined with a 64 multislice-CT with a standard dose protocol as gold standard, with two ultra-low-dose-protocols, and with standard radiographs with different exposures.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In spite of high background noise the examinations of ULD-CT were not adequate only in 2 of 204 cases. ULD-CT was slightly superior to radiographs in detection of fractures. ULD-CT could significantly better characterize the fractures than radiographs. The overall result of ULD-CT was significantly better than that of radiographs with standard exposure.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ULD-CT with the effective dose of radiographs is successfully applicable in pediatric fracture diagnosis, and its overall result is significantly better than that of radiographs.
authors.affiliation: Klinik für Diagnostische Radiologie, Pädiatrische Radiologie und Sonographie, Universitätsklinikum Schleswig-Holstein, Campus Kiel, Kiel, Germany. joerg.d.moritz@rad.uni-kiel.de
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Moritz
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Hoffmann
authors.forename: D H
authors.initials: DH
authors.lastname: Sehr
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Eggerking
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Keil
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Caliebe
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Dischinger
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Heller
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Bolte
mesh_terms: D000465:Algorithms; D000818:Animals; D002648:Child; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D050723:Fractures, Bone / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D004204:Joint Dislocations / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D009104:Multiple Trauma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D011829:Radiation Dosage; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013552:Swine; D036542:Tomography, Spiral Computed / Q000379:methods*