The value of CAT scanning following pediatric head injury.

The CAT scan has proven invaluable in the management of severe pediatric head traumas. The most frequent findings are those of subarachnoid hemorrhage and diffuse swelling. Mass lesions are readily identified by the CAT scan, and it is easy to distinguish between hematoma and/or edema in the acute stages. Follow-up scans have produced a much better understanding of the long-term pathophysiologic effects of head trauma on the injured child.