%0 Journal Article
%T Analyzing computed tomography Modalities for screening pediatric patients for traumatic blunt cerebrovascular injury.
%A Sainz DB
%A Howell EC
%A Grayeb DR
%A Barlas Y
%A Gonzalez D
%A Miskimins R
%J Am J Surg
%V 238
%N 0
%D 2024 Jul 19
%M 39059338
%F 3.125
%R 10.1016/j.amjsurg.2024.115859
%X <B>BACKGROUND: </B>Optimal screening for BCVI in pediatric trauma patients remains debated. We hypothesized screening with CTAN would decrease the number of duplicate CT scans per patient and increase BCVI detection rate.<BR><B>METHODS: </B>Local BCVI screening institutional protocol changed May 2022 to include Computed Tomography angiography neck (CTAN). We performed a retrospective review of pediatric blunt trauma patients presenting at our Level 1 trauma center between 2019 and 2023. Patients before and after implementation of universal screening were compared for demographic, clinical, radiographic, and outcome data.<BR><B>RESULTS: </B>Six-hundred-eight patients were included with 368 before and 240 after the protocol change. Screening with CTAN decreased the number of duplicate neck scans (5.7%vs.2.1 ​%,p ​= ​0.03) and increased BCVI detection rate (0.27%v.2.5 ​%,p ​= ​0.01). Of the seven patients diagnosed with BCVI 2019-2023, no patients suffered any stroke-related morbidity.<BR><B>CONCLUSIONS: </B>Universal screening for BCVI in pediatric patients with CTAN resulted in fewer scans and an increased BCVI detection rate.