Child abuse: radiographic findings at King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: To describe radiographic findings in physically abused children. MATERIAL AND METHOD: The physically abused children diagnosed in King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital from 1998 to 2002 were retrospectively reviewed of medical records and radiographic imaging. RESULT: Eighteen of 30 physically abused children had positive radiographic findings and 15 of 18 were related to head injury. Subdural hematomas and skull fractures were the two most common findings found in 11 cases and 9 cases respectively. Seven of 11 cases of head injury had retinal hemorrhage. Fractures other than the skull were detected in 6 patients, located at the long bones, ribs and spines. The abused children with positive radiographic findings were more commonly found in younger infants and mucocutaneous lesions might be absent. CONCLUSION: Inflicted head injury was the most common radiographic findings in the present series. Shaking-impact mechanism was likely to play a significant role in this group of patients.