Children’s ATV injuries show consistent patterns

Researchers have identified patterns to injuries suffered by chil­dren in all-terrain ve­hi­cles that might help radio­logists better diagnose the children's trauma.

Dr. Chetan C. Shah, a radiology fellow, and colleagues reviewed the records of 500 con­secutive children (six months to 19 years old) admitted to Children's Hospital in Little Rock following ATV accidents. Shah presented the study at the 2007 RSNA meeting.

Researchers found that cranial and orbital fractures were associated with brain injuries and extra-axial hemorrhage. Torso injuries frequently involved multiple organs. Extremity fractures were the most common radiographically detected injuries, and lower extremity fractures were associated with long-term disability. There were 12 am­putations, including nine partial foot, one upper limb, and one below-knee.