Does CT scan for blunt abdominal trauma in children amount to a lot of radiation for little yield?
Nellensteijn, D.R.; El Moumni, M.; Greuter, M. J.W.; Kneyber, M. C.J.; Hulscher, J.B.F.
Nederlands Tijdschrift Voor Geneeskunde 158(52): A6519
2013
ISSN/ISBN: 1876-8784 PMID: 24382053 Document Number: 663951
Blunt abdominal trauma in children occurs fairly frequently. Although computed tomography scanning is considered by many to be the gold standard, in children who are hemodynamically stable, CT images do not usually result in new perspectives that lead to changes in treatment management. However, the burden of radiation for the child is considerable. CT scanning for blunt abdominal trauma should therefore be avoided in children who are hemodynamically stable. Novel algorithms, using parameters from the patient's history, physical examination, and possibly ultrasound and laboratory tests, seem to be sufficient for ruling out intra-abdominal injury in more than 95% of cases.