Pediatric Radiation Exposure During the Initial Evaluation for Blunt Trauma

Abstract

Thyroid doses in 71% of study patients fell within the dose range historically correlated with an increased risk of thyroid cancer and whole body effective doses fell within the range of historical doses correlated with an increased risk of all solid cancers and leukemia. Selective scanning of body areas as compared with whole body scanning results in a statistically significant decrease in all doses.

CT Use in Hospitalized Pediatric Trauma Patients: 15-year Trends in a Level I Pediatric and Adult Trauma Center

“…First, advanced imaging technology has been an important driver for the escalating cost of health care (8,9). Second, CT uses ionizing radiation that could potentially be harmful in the long term, especially for children (3,7,(10)(11)(12)(13).…”

Pediatric Cervical Spine Injury Evaluation After Blunt Trauma: A Clinical Decision Analysis

“…32,33 Often in a trauma evaluation cervical spine CT is part of a larger evaluation in which both head and chest imaging are considered and thus the cumulative radiation effects must be considered. 34 With the above data and reports of cervical spine CT rates increasing in some areas, despite a simultaneous downward trend in other types of scans, clinicians must continue to address the challenge to reduce unnecessary scans. 15 This model suggests that unless the probability of cervical spine injury is high, clinical clearance or screening radiographs should predominate the current management strategies when radiation risk is considered.…”

Management of pediatric occult pneumothorax in blunt trauma: a subgroup analysis of the American Association for the Surgery of Trauma multicenter prospective observational study

“…Broder et al reported that over 6 years the use of abdominal CT increased by 49%, while chest CT imaging increased by 435% in a pediatric population [12]. This increased use led to identification of findings that would have previously been missed [12,13]. OPTX are identified in 2% to 15% of patients undergoing CT scan [14][15][16].…”