Computed Tomography of Cerebral Contusions in Children Younger Than 3 Years

Background: Cerebral contusions occur in approximately 43% of blunt head trauma cases. The gyri are predominantly affected, although severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) may damage the subcortical white matter and deep structures within the brain. Computed tomography (CT) of the brain is used to evaluate all forms of intracranial injuries, fractures, cerebral edema, and other associated injuries.Objective: To analyze the CT potential in the diagnosis of cerebral contusions during the acute phase of TBI in children younger than 3 years.Materials and methods: In 2021-2022 we performed CT using a Philips Ingenuity Elite 128 slice CT scanner in 1334 children with TBI (730 boys and 604 girls younger than 3 years). The area of interest in the examined children was the skull and cervical spine. We did not use enhancement. The effective dose range varied from 1.27 to 1.91 mSv.Results: Of 510 children, 448 (87.84%) patients had skull fractures that combined with intracranial injuries in 366 (81.7%) children, with 262 (71.58%) of them having severe injuries (Glasgow Coma Scale ≤ 8) and 36 (9.83%) of them undergoing surgery. Cerebral contusions were diagnosed in 58.5% (214 of 366) of children. Contusions (98% of which were hemorrhagic) had different volumes and degrees of hemorrhage and edema. The foci of contusions were in the frontal (37.1%), temporal (34.3%), parietal (20.6%), and, less often, occipital (8%) lobes.Conclusions: CT is the preferred imaging modality in acute TBI, which enables to accurately detect and adequately treat cerebral contusions, preventing secondary injuries. CT is the main diagnostic tool and should be performed in all children with TBI within the first hours after injury.