Pediatric spine trauma: A comprehensive review

Trauma to the pediatric spine can manifest as osseous, disco-ligamentous, and/or neurological injuries. Associated mortality is significantly higher than in adults. Injury patterns in children are distinct from those encountered in adults. Although spine radiographs are the first line of diagnosis, they may be challenging to interpret in children due to the difficulty of applying recognized radiographic landmarks to the partially ossified spine. Ligamentous laxity and developmental phenomena also lead to imaging pitfalls. Much of the recent literature on this subject focuses on region-specific injuries or individual entities, and may not be tailored specifically to the radiologist, thereby not stressing key aspects pertinent to the effective performance and successful interpretation of imaging exams. We aim to address this void. We provide a comprehensive review of pediatric spine trauma, outlining the clinical decision tools, imaging protocols including the current American College of Radiology (ACR) appropriateness guidelines, interpretive pitfalls and tips to navigate these pitfalls, and management implications of the spectrum of these injuries. Throughout the text, extensive tables, illustrations and imaging examples reinforce key concepts.