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Abdominal computed tomography in children with unexplained prolonged fever
Journal of Computer Assisted Tomography
|October 1, 1984
Summary
Computed tomography (CT) aids in diagnosing abdominal issues in children with prolonged fever, especially when symptoms localize. While beneficial for therapy, its diagnostic yield is lower in cases without clear localizing signs.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Radiology
- Diagnostic Imaging
Background:
- Unexplained fever in children often necessitates advanced imaging to identify underlying causes.
- Computed tomography (CT) is a valuable tool for evaluating abdominal pathologies in pediatric patients.
Observation:
- Twenty-eight children with fever lasting at least one week underwent abdominal CT.
- Twenty-two patients had clinical findings localizing disease to the abdomen; six did not.
Findings:
- CT correctly identified abnormalities in 86% of patients with localized findings, influencing therapy in 59%.
- In patients without localizing signs, CT was abnormal in two of six cases, impacting management in two instances.
Implications:
- Abdominal CT is effective for diagnosing diverse lesions and guiding therapy in children with fever and localized abdominal findings, particularly in the retroperitoneum.
- The diagnostic utility of CT is reduced when clinical signs do not localize the disease to the abdomen.