Regional Pediatric C-Spine CT Trends: Are We Exposing Kids to Unnecessary Radiation?

In Massachusetts, children were twice as likely to undergo cervical spine CT imaging when evaluated at hospitals with other trauma designations than when evaluated at pediatric level I trauma centers.

To identify patient and hospital characteristics associated with computed tomography (CT) of the cervical spine (C-spine) in low-acuity pediatric patients, investigators analyzed the Massachusetts Hospital Emergency Department (ED) database, which included 929,626 children (age, <19 years) who were discharged from EDs with injury diagnoses between 2005 and 2010.

Of 11,589 patients (1.3%) who underwent C-spine CT imaging, 868 (7.5%) had documented complaints of neck injury. In multivariable logistic regression analysis, children aged 12–18 years were twice as likely to undergo C-spine CT as were children aged <1 year (adjusted odds ratio, 2.3). Evaluation outside a pediatric level I trauma center was also associated with higher rates of C-spi…

Reviewing Author

Katherine Bakes, MD

Disclosures

RoyaltiesEmergency Medicine Secrets (Elsevier)

Grant/Research SupportDepartment of Justice

Editorial BoardsEmergency Medicine Secrets (Elsevier); Rosen’s Emergency Medicine (Elsevier)

Katherine Bakes, MD

Disclosures

RoyaltiesEmergency Medicine Secrets (Elsevier)

Grant/Research SupportDepartment of Justice

Editorial BoardsEmergency Medicine Secrets (Elsevier); Rosen’s Emergency Medicine (Elsevier)