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Reduced-dose CT significantly outperformed multiview chest radiographs in diagnosing pediatric foreign body aspiration, with higher sensitivity and fewer missed cases.
Source
Reduced-Dose Computed Tomography vs Multiview Radiographs in Pediatric Foreign Body Aspiration. J Pediatr. 2026 Feb 13;293:115030. doi: 10.1016/j.jpeds.2026.115030. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 41692225.
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Of patients with return of spontaneous circulation (ROSC) after in-hospital cardiac arrest (IHCA), CT imaging revealed new findings 65.2% of the time while POCUS did so in 57.6% of IHCA patients.
Source
Diagnostic Yield of Computed Tomography and Point-of-Care Ultrasound After In-Hospital Cardiac Arrest. Chest. 2026 Mar 13:S0012-3692(26)00297-7. doi: 10.1016/j.chest.2026.02.023. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 41833810.
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When eye exam is limited by trauma, we rely on orbital CT. While specificity is 94%, sensitivity is only 75% for open globe injuries (OGI), making surgical consultation necessary when suspicion remains.
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Diagnostic test accuracy of CT for open globe injury: A systematic review and meta-analysis of overall impression and individual imaging signs. Injury. 2026 Jan 10;57(3):113041. doi: 10.1016/j.injury.2026.113041. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 41534455.
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Approaches to repeat CT scans in traumatic brain injuries (TBIs) are highly variable. This study recommends a risk-stratified approach based upon injury severity, patients’ clinical factors, and timing of initial CT.
Source
Timing Is Everything: A Systematic Review of Optimal Repeat Computed Tomography Protocols in Traumatic Brain Injury. J Neurotrauma. 2025 Nov 24. doi: 10.1177/08977151251401545. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 41293885.
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This large retrospective cohort study found a dose-response association between radiation and pediatric hematologic cancer risk. An estimated 10.1% of hematologic cancers were attributable to imaging-related radiation.
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Medical Imaging and Pediatric and Adolescent Hematologic Cancer Risk. N Engl J Med. 2025 Oct 2;393(13):1269-1278. doi: 10.1056/NEJMoa2502098. Epub 2025 Sep 17. PMID: 40961449; PMCID: PMC12445590.
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In patients with renal colic, absence of hematuria and hydronephrosis on point-of-care ultrasound effectively rules out obstructing kidney stones.
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The U-POCUS protocol: urinalysis and point-of-care ultrasound to exclude symptomatic ureterolithiasis in emergency department patients. CJEM. 2025 Sep 13. doi: 10.1007/s43678-025-00998-z. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40946134.
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This review of ground-level falls in older adults found focal neurologic signs, external signs of head trauma, loss of consciousness, and male sex were associated with a higher risk of intracranial hemorrhage (ICH). Pre-injury anticoagulant use was not associated with increased risk for ICH.
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Risk Factors for Traumatic Intracranial Hemorrhage in Older Adults Sustaining a Head Injury in Ground-Level Falls: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Ann Emerg Med. 2025 Jul 22:S0196-0644(25)00313-0. doi: 10.1016/j.annemergmed.2025.05.021. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40699169.
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Not everything that can bleed will bleed. This retrospective study of elderly mild-TBI patients showed no significant association between antithrombotic medication use and risk of traumatic ICH.
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Association between antithrombotic medications and intracranial hemorrhage among older patients with mild traumatic brain injury: a multicenter cohort study. Eur J Emerg Med. 2025 Jul 1. doi: 10.1097/MEJ.0000000000001246. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40590793
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In pediatric patients with a traumatic pneumothorax (tPTX), only Collins size greater than 12.5% on chest x-ray (CXR) independently predicted failure of observation versus tube thoracostomy (TT) placement in management.
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Size of traumatic pneumothorax on initial chest x-ray is independently associated with failed observation in children. J Trauma Acute Care Surg. 2025 Jul 3. doi: 10.1097/TA.0000000000004638. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40604364
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This prospective cohort study has identified five injuries that are highly associated with pediatric blunt cerebrovascular injury: Temporal fractures, sphenoid fractures, orbital roof fractures, fractures of C1-4, and ligamentous injuries of the cervical spine.
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The A+ criteria for pediatric blunt cerebrovascular injury: An ATOMAC+ multicenter study. J Trauma Acute Care Surg. 2025 Jun 13. doi: 10.1097/TA.0000000000004686. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40506814