Cranial Computed Tomography Use in Pediatric Head Trauma: Assessing Appropriateness, Insights, and Recommendations in a Single-Centre Cohort

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Acute head trauma (AHT) is a common reason for pediatric emergency department (ED) visits, although most cases do not result in clinically important traumatic brain injury (ciTBI). Clinical decision rules such as PECARN can help identify children at risk for ciTBI and guide the need for cranial computed tomography (CT). Despite this, CT appears frequently overused, raising ongoing concerns about radiation exposure, resource utilization, and clinical yield. This study evaluated after-hours CT utilization patterns and diagnostic yield for pediatric head trauma at a tertiary care centre. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective review of after-hours non-contrast cranial CT examinations for pediatric (