AJR. American journal of roentgenology
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AJR Am J Roentgenol · May 2015
ReviewRevisiting neuroimaging of abusive head trauma in infants and young children.
The purpose of this article is to use a mechanism-based approach to review the neuroimaging findings of abusive head trauma to infants. Advanced neuroimaging provides insights into not only the underlying mechanisms of craniocerebral injuries but also the long-term prognosis of brain injury for children on whom these injuries have been inflicted. ⋯ Knowledge of the traumatic mechanisms, the key neuroimaging findings, and the implications of functional imaging findings should help radiologists characterize the underlying causes of the injuries inflicted, thereby facilitating effective treatment.
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The purpose of this article is to review the constellation of findings of abusive head trauma, which may be accompanied by injuries to the appendicular and axial skeleton, brain and spinal cord, and retina. Additional common features include skin and soft-tissue injury, visceral findings, and evidence of oral trauma. ⋯ The evidence base for abusive head trauma encompasses diverse disciplines, including diagnostic imaging, pathology, pediatrics, biomechanics, ophthalmology, epidemiology, and orthopedics. When the varied sources of evidence are pieced together and taken in toto, abusive head trauma is often readily differentiated from alternative explanations of an infant's injuries.