![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4T0Ro8mjiLmsSAi91NSIzO248mXR_fvvWf-aNu3rSH0E3yV7GdHLhrvPiO8svHdE_Av3SHcDxDm7LygL8UbaR4edYaeT4jvAyvuzH10qEsFplT3R1_qHLU_BaNfV0DrJ0lBDxTUz-HQ/s280/non_accidental_injury.jpg)
Chest radiography of a 2-month-old baby shows multiple bilateral rib fractures of different ages. Left-sided rib fractures (arrowheads) appear to have callus formation, while the right sided fractures (arrows) do not. Note right pleural effusion/thickening laterally.
Facts: Fractures in Non-Accidental Injury
- Second most common findings of child abuse after dermatologic findings (bruises, contusions, burns)
- Can be found throughout the whole skeleton
- Likely multiple and in diverse stages of healing
- Long bone fractures are the most common, with some oblique or spiral components (due to torsion force)
- Classic metaphyseal lesions and location of fractures (ie, posterior rib fractures) are more suspicious than others
Rib Fractures in NAI
- Highly predictive of child abuse in the absence of accidental trauma or certain skeletal diseases (e.g., osteogenesis imperfecta), particularly in children less than 3 years old
- In children with rib fractures, the likelihood of NAI decreases with increasing age
- Multiple rib fractures are more likely to be seen in NAI compared to single fractures
- NAI is more likely in the presence of posterior rib fracture
Our case: non-accidental injury with multiple rib fractures in various stages of healing
Reference:
Medina LS, Applegate KE, Blackmore CC. Evidence-based Imaging in Pediatrics, 2010.
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