TY  - JOUR
PY  - 2016//
TI  - The role of computed tomography in following up pediatric skull fractures
JO  - American journal of surgery
A1  - Zulfiqar, Maria
A1  - Kim, Stacy
A1  - Lai, Jin-Ping
A1  - Zhou, Yihua
SP  - 483
EP  - 488
VL  - 214
IS  - 3
N2  - 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>
LA  - en
SN  - 0002-9610
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.amjsurg.2016.07.020
ID  - ref1
ER  -