Utilization of computed tomography imaging in the pediatric emergency department

• Published in: Pediatric radiology 2020-04, Vol.50 (4), p.470-475
• Main Authors: Frush, Daniel Jack, Commander, Clayton W., Hartman, Terry Scott, Cecil, Aaron Kyle, Handly, Brian Douglas, Park, Daniel B., Fordham, Lynn Ansley
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Academic Medical Centers; Adolescent; Child; Child, Preschool; Children; Computed tomography; Emergency medical care; Emergency medical services; Emergency Service, Hospital; Female; Health care facilities; Humans; Imaging; Infant; Infant, Newborn; Ionizing radiation; Magnetic resonance imaging; Magnetic Resonance Imaging - statistics & numerical data; Male; Medical imaging; Medical materials; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Neuroimaging; Neuroradiology; Nuclear Medicine; Oncology; Original Article; Patients; Pediatrics; Radiation Protection; Radiology; Tomography; Tomography, X-Ray Computed - statistics & numerical data; Trauma centers; Ultrasonography - statistics & numerical data; Ultrasound; Utilization
• ISSN: 0301-0449; 1432-1998
• DOI: 10.1007/s00247-019-04564-5

Background In recent years, there has been a movement toward more judicious use of computed tomography (CT) imaging in an attempt to limit exposure of pediatric patients to ionizing radiation. The Image Gently Alliance and like-minded movements began advocating for safe and high-quality pediatric imaging worldwide in the late 2000s. Objective In the context of these efforts, we evaluate CT utilization rates in the pediatric emergency department at a major academic medical center. Materials and methods We tracked utilization in several categories of CT, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and ultrasonography (US) between July 2008 and June 2017 and compared them with utilization rates from 2000 to 2006. Results A total of 4,955 pediatric patients underwent a total of 5,973 CT scans, 2,775 US studies and 293 MRI scans while in the pediatric emergency department during the 2008–2017 study period. We observed decreases in CT scans across all categories, ranging from a 19% decrease in abdominal CT to a 66% decrease in chest CT. Relatively greater decreases in CT scans were observed in patients younger than 3 years of age as compared to older children and adolescents. Abdominal and pelvic US increased. Brain MRI also increased over the final two years of the study. Conclusion CT utilization decreased throughout the 2008–2017 study period.