COMPUTED-TOMOGRAPHY IN THE MANAGEMENT OF BLUNT ABDOMINAL-TRAUMA IN CHILDREN

Sixteen children with suspected abdominal injury were reviewed. All un derwent plain abdominal radiography and computed tomography (CT). Fift een CT scans showed an abnormality, and the abdominal radiograph was a bnormal in seven cases. Eight patients also underwent abdominal ultras onography, and six scans failed to demonstrate an abnormality. Only tw o patients required laparotomy, one for a ruptured left diaphragm and one for a major renal injury. These results support the use of CT as t he optimal method for assessing the stable child following blunt abdom inal trauma.