Pediatric Abdominal Radiographs: Common and Less Common Errors.

Abstract

Interpretation of abdominal radiographs of children benefits from a firm knowledge of the congenital anomalies and pathologies unique to this patient population, leveraged by a systematic approach. Interpretive errors place the patients and their families at risk for a delay in diagnosis, unnecessary additional imaging, a potential increase in the radiation burden, and possible psychologic trauma. In this article, we describe the common and uncommon potential pitfalls in pediatric abdominal radiography, using several of our own interpretive errors as a framework while providing teaching points to help avoid these mistakes.