Pediatric Imaging for the Emergency Provider

Humeral shaft fractures: Nothing funny about that!

Case presentation A 6-year-old boy presents with right upper arm and shoulder pain after falling off a horse while riding at a brisk trot. There is no reported loss of consciousness and he denies neck pain, abdominal pain, back pain,…

Rough trip: Scapula fracture

Case presentation A 17-year-old male presents with right shoulder pain after falling while playing soccer. The patient tripped while running and landed on his shoulder. He was able to continue playing the game but now complains of vague right shoulder…

My fracture is not humerus: Supracondylar fractures

Case presentation A 5-year-old male is brought for right elbow pain and swelling after falling while playing on the monkey bars at school. The fall was witnessed by several teachers and friends, who reported no loss of consciousness or other…

How’d that happen? Nonaccidental trauma

Case presentation A 3-month-old male presents with what the parents describe as fussiness since yesterday. The child has had nasal congestion over the past few days so they took him to an emergency department 1 day ago, where he had…

My achin’ back: Vertebral compression fractures

Case presentation A 9-year-old female seeks care after falling from her bicycle. She states that she was riding her bike and attempted to “pop a wheelie.” In doing so, she fell backward, separating herself from the bike, landing initially on…

Check that neck: Cervical spine imaging

Case presentation A 12-month-old female presents following a motor vehicle accident. The child was reportedly secured in a rear car seat; however, the child was found outside of the vehicle lying on the pavement. The two-vehicle crash occurred at a…

Chest pains: Pediatric chest trauma

Case presentation A 17-year-old male presents to the Emergency Department after being shot in the back. He reports chest pain and dyspnea. His vital signs are a heart rate of 110 beats per minute, a blood pressure of 110/75 mm…

The heart of the matter: Ventricular laceration

Case presentation A 12-year-old male presents with an injury to the chest. Apparently, he was “playing” with a nail gun and it went off, causing a nail to enter his chest. The child’s vital signs show an afebrile patient, who…