Non-accidental trauma: the role of radiology

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Radiology
• Child Abuse Detection
• Forensic Imaging

Background:

• Non-accidental trauma is a leading cause of severe illness and death in children.
• Radiologists provide critical diagnostic information in suspected child abuse cases.
• The vulnerability of children necessitates accurate and timely diagnosis of abusive injuries.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review common radiologic findings of abusive trauma in children.
• To guide clinical decision-making for emergency medicine and pediatric providers.
• To discuss controversies, evidence, and imaging's role in diagnosing abusive head trauma.

Main Methods:

• Review of common radiologic findings in abusive trauma.
• Assessment of mimicking pathologies and current evidence on radiologic findings.
• Examination of spine imaging's contribution to diagnosing abusive head trauma.
• Discussion of pitfalls in dating intracranial injuries.

Main Results:

• Common patterns of perpetrator-induced pathology are illustrated.
• Evidence-based guidelines for radiologic findings in abuse are recapitulated.
• The role of imaging in diagnosing and preventing recurrent abusive injury is highlighted.

Conclusions:

• Radiology is fundamental in diagnosing and preventing child abuse.
• Appropriate imaging approaches and evidence-based guidelines are essential.
• Accurate interpretation of imaging findings aids in protecting children who cannot advocate for themselves.