Computed tomography of pediatric blunt abdominal trauma

Computed tomography (CT) is the imaging method of choice in the evaluation of hemodynamically stable children after blunt abdominal trauma. Evaluation with CT will show whether intraperitoneal fluid or blood is present and whether the liver, spleen, kidneys, and pancreas are intact. Although the principal role of CT after blunt abdominal trauma is the assessment of solid viscus injury, an unintended consequence of the increased utilization of CT in this setting is that an increased number of children with hollow viscus injury are being evaluated. CT can reliably depict injury to these hollow viscera, although the diagnosis of such injury is not as straightforward as with solid viscus injury. This essay reviews indications for CT, technique for the performance of CT, and CT findings associated with hollow and solid viscus injury and posttraumatic shock.