Lall Neil U, Stence Nicholas V, Mirsky David M
*Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati, OH †Children's Hospital Colorado, University of Colorado School of Medicine, Aurora, CO.
Top Magn Reson Imaging. 2015 Dec;24(6):291-307. doi: 10.1097/RMR.0000000000000068.
Although computed tomography is often the first line of imaging in the emergency setting, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is of increasing importance in the evaluation of central nervous system emergencies in the pediatric population. As such, it is necessary to understand the indications for which MRI may be necessary. This article reviews the unique pathophysiologic entities affecting the pediatric population and the associated MRI findings. Specifically, utility of emergent MRI and characteristic appearances of traumatic brain injury, traumatic spinal injury, nonaccidental trauma, arterial ischemic stroke, cerebral sinovenous thrombosis, stroke mimics, and central nervous system infections are described.
