Study Shows Reduction in CT Scans of Pediatric Patients, Increase in MRI, Ultrasound

​The use of computed tomography (CT) scans decreased significantly for pediatric patients with seizures, severe head trauma, and 8 other conditions between 2004 and 2014, finds a study published online August 24, 2015, in Pediatrics. The study of 33 hospitals assessed the rates of CT, ultrasound, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in pediatric patients with any of 10 conditions (seizure; ventricular shunt procedures; appendectomy; craniotomy; concussion; severe head trauma; infections of the upper respiratory tract; gastroenteritis; abdominal pain; and other ear, nose, mouth, throat, and craniofacial diagnoses).