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Updated: Nov 20, 2025
Whole-body PET/MRI of Pediatric Patients: The Details That Matter
Published on: December 19, 2017
Evaluation of pediatric high-energy trauma patients with whole-body computed tomography
1Department of Radiology, Hitit University School of Medicine, Çorum, Turkey.
Insights
Whole-body computed tomography (WBCT) effectively diagnoses injuries in pediatric high-energy trauma. This fast, accurate tool reveals diverse injury patterns, aiding in reduced mortality rates for children.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Radiology
- Trauma Imaging
- Emergency Medicine
Background:
- Pediatric high-energy trauma presents unique injury patterns distinct from adults.
- Limited research exists on whole-body CT findings in pediatric trauma patients.
- Understanding injury distribution is crucial for effective management.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate whole-body computed tomography (WBCT) findings in pediatric high-energy trauma.
- To determine the specific distribution and types of injuries in this population.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of WBCT scans from 1132 pediatric patients (2013-2018).
- Inclusion criteria: high-energy trauma with abdominal, chest, head, or skeletal injuries.
- Focus on 620 included pediatric patients.
Main Results:
- Skeletal injuries identified in 557 patients, including fractures of the spine (113), ribs (57), extremities (51), and pelvis (37).
- Craniofacial fractures occurred in 299 patients.
- Intracranial hemorrhage (102), pulmonary contusion (115), pneumothorax (45), and solid organ injuries (55) were also detected.
Conclusions:
- Injury patterns in pediatric trauma differ significantly from adults.
- Whole-body CT, using pediatric radiation doses, is a rapid and accurate diagnostic method.
- WBCT in pediatric high-energy trauma is associated with lower mortality rates.
Objectives:
We aimed to evaluate the findings of whole-body computed tomography (WBCT) in pediatric high-energy trauma patients and to determine the distribution of injuries.
Materials And Methods:
The WBCT images of 1132 pediatric patients who were admitted to emergency department between 2013 and 2018 for high-energy trauma were evaluated retrospectively. Six hundred and twenty patients with abdominal, chest, head, and skeletal injuries were included.
Results:
Using the WBCT images, we detected skeletal injuries in 557 pediatric patients; spinal, rib, extremity, and pelvic fractures were detected in 113, 57, 51, and 37 patients, respectively. Craniofacial fractures were viewed in 299 patients. We detected intracranial hemorrhage, pulmonary contusion, pneumothorax, and solid organ injuries in 102, 115, 45, and 55 pediatric patients, respectively.
Conclusion:
The frequency and distribution of injuries in trauma cases vary between adults and children. While there are many studies about whole-body CT findings of adult trauma, there are only a few studies about pediatric high-energy trauma patients. The traumatic injury types also differ in pediatric age groups. WBCT scan (with pediatric radiation dose) is the fast and accurate diagnostic tool in high-energy trauma cases and therefore is associated with low mortality rates.
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