Computed tomography findings in pediatric traumatic head injury in Abuja, Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Pediatric traumatic brain injury (TBI) remains one of the leading causes of acquired disability and death in children. The morbidity and mortality associated with significant intracranial injury may be ameliorated by early diagnosis and treatment. Cranial computed tomography (CT) is a reliable imaging method for identification of intracranial lesions in patients with head trauma. Aim: To document the radiologic features of cranial CT in pediatric head trauma patients in a Tertiary Hospital in Abuja, Nigeria. Method: This was a retrospective, cross-sectional study of cranial CT findings in 104 pediatric head trauma patients visiting a tertiary referral hospital in Abuja Nigeria from January 2014 to January 2017. Numerical and graphical descriptors were used to summarize the data. In all statistical tests, significance level was set at an alpha level of 0.05. Result: Ages of studied patients ranged from 3 months to 18 years with mean age of 9.7 (SD 5.4) years with males dominating (66.35%). Road traffic accident, RTA occurred in 82 (79.6%) as the commonest etiologic factor across all age groups with slight dominance in children older than 16 years. Radiologic abnormalities were seen in 89 (85.6%), especially in males. Fractures coexisting with intracranial lesions were the most prevalent findings occurring in 43 (41.3%) patients. Hemorrhagic contusion was the commonest intracranial pathology. Diffuse brain lesions were seen exclusively in patients with clinically severe brain injury. Conclusion: RTA is the commonest etiology of pediatric TBI in our environment with combined fractures and coexisting intracranial hemorrhages as the prevalent finding.