8th Annual WML Academic Symposium

Presenter(s): Christopher W. Smith
Title: Pediatric Brain Trauma: CT or not to CT?
Developed under the guidance of Dr. Grace Brannan , Osteopathic Medicine

Commuted tomography (CT) imaging of pediatric patients with suspected traumatic brain injury (TBI) has long been a point of contention and debate among physicians. While CT imaging of these patients may yield pathology and evidence of TBI, it more often yields no evidence of TBI; exposing the patient to what is arguably an unnecessary quantity of radiation especially in cases of mild TBI. The current literature surrounding this topic was investigated through literature review of published articles and treatment guidelines to determine the appropriate approach in diagnosing TBI in the pediatric population, along with possible biomarkers for future TBI screening.