The Diagnostic Value of Focused Assessment with Sonography for Trauma Ultrasound in Children with Blunt Abdominal Trauma: Assessing Accuracy and Clinical Utility

Introduction: Understanding the strengths and limitations of imaging techniques is essential for accurate diagnosis and optimal management of patients with blunt abdominal trauma. This study assessed the diagnostic accuracy of Focused Assessment with Sonography for Trauma (FAST) ultrasound in pediatric blunt abdominal trauma. Methods: This retrospective study analyzed the medical records of 314 pediatric patients from the trauma center at Shahid Beheshti Hospital, Kashan, Iran. Demographic data, FAST results, and computed tomography (CT) findings were collected and interpreted by a radiologist. The obtained data were analyzed using the Chi-square test or Fisher’s exact test. Moreover, SPSS software (version 16) was used to examine sensitivity and specificity, as well as positive and negative predictive values. A p-value of 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: CT scans showed abnormalities in 70% of patients, with 154 (70%) male patients. No significant association of trauma mechanism, gender, age, and Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) scores with CT results (P 0.05) was found in this study. However, abdominal tenderness was associated with CT results (P=0.004). Abnormal FAST correlated with abnormal CT (P 0.001). FAST demonstrated significant diagnostic value in pediatric blunt abdominal trauma, and abdominal tenderness emerged as a relevant indicator. Conclusion: FAST can be a valuable initial screening tool, aiding in timely and accurate management decisions for patients with blunt abdominal trauma. Further investigation is needed to explore factors influencing the correlation between FAST and CT in critically ill patients with GCS 13.