@article{ref1,
title="The role of computed tomography in following up pediatric skull fractures",
journal="American journal of surgery",
year="2016",
author="Zulfiqar, Maria and Kim, Stacy and Lai, Jin-Ping and Zhou, Yihua",
volume="214",
number="3",
pages="483-488",
abstract="BACKGROUND: Despite the added radiation exposure and costs, the role of computed tomography (CT) in following pediatric skull fractures has not been fully evaluated. <br><br>METHODS: We reviewed the radiology reports and images of the initial and follow-up head CT examinations of children with skull fractures to determine whether any interval changes in the fracture morphology and associated complications necessitate a change in clinical management. <br><br>RESULTS: A total of 316 pediatric cases of skull fractures were identified, including 172 patients with and 144 without follow-up scans. At follow-up, 7% of skull fractures were unchanged, 65% healing, and 28% healed. No patient showed findings to cause a change in clinical management or a need for further medical or surgical intervention regardless of the number and patterns of the fractures or the initial intracranial complications such as intracranial hemorrhage, pneumocephalus, and traumatic brain injuries. <br><br>CONCLUSIONS: Head CT may be unnecessary in following pediatric skull fractures in asymptomatic patients to avoid added radiation exposure and cost.<br><br>Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.<p /> <p>Language: en</p>",
language="en",
issn="0002-9610",
doi="10.1016/j.amjsurg.2016.07.020",
url="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.amjsurg.2016.07.020"
}