小児領域における骨傷の画像診断

抄録

Diagnosis of pediatric fractures is difficult, because pediatric bone is different structurally and pathologically from that of adults. For example, the growing child’s skeleton shows more plasticity than adult skeleton, and its growth plate is the weakest region of bone.

We will illustrate some characteristic cases of pediatric fractures in terms of incomplete fracture, physeal fracture, phases of fracture healing, alignment of bone and appropriate examination.

Greenstick fracture, torus fracture and plastic bowing are incomplete fracture, and common in children. In such cases, the bony fragment cannot be seen. Physeal fractures are common between ages 10 and 16 years, because open physis is weaker than ligaments and tendons. And when the fracture line is ambiguous, it is important to check the alignment of joints, especially fracture about the elbow. Moreover, appropriate modality and optimum radiation dose are needed to obtain the precise diagnosis.