Chaudhary Waleed Tariq, Hamna Khaliq, Daniyal Ahmed* and Shawaiz Malik

Department of Public Health, Health Services Academy, Pakistan

*Corresponding Author: Daniyal Ahmed, Department of Public Health, Health Services Academy, Pakistan.

Received: October 24, 2025; Published: November 30, 2025

Abstract

Study Design: A retrospective audit.

Study Setting and Duration: Department of Radiology, PIMS, Islamabad, including all pediatric CT scans performed during September 2024.

Methodology: Data on demographics, referral source, clinical indication, region scanned, and imaging findings were extracted from RIS/PACS. Scans were categorized as positive or normal, and diagnostic yield was calculated by indication and region. Analysis was performed using SPSS v26, and audit standards were based on RCR and ACR guidelines.

Results: A total of 72 pediatric CT scans were reviewed. Most referrals were from the outpatient department (61%), followed by emergency (26%) and inpatients (13%). Brain imaging was most frequent (49%), with trauma (31%) and hydrocephalus (20%) as leading indications. Overall, 78% of scans showed abnormal findings, with highest yields in abdominal (100%) and brain CTs (86%). Trauma, hydrocephalus, liver abscess, and rare conditions such as cystic hygroma and Wilms’ tumor demonstrated strong diagnostic correlation.

Conclusion: Pediatric CT at PIMS in September 2024 showed high diagnostic yield, particularly for trauma, hydrocephalus, and abdominal infections. The findings support CT as a valuable tool in acute pediatric care, while underscoring the need for judicious use to minimize radiation exposure.

 Keywords: Pediatrics; Computed Tomography; Clinical Audit; Diagnostic Imaging; Radiation Safety

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Citation

Citation: Daniyal Ahmed., et al. “Navigating Pediatric CT Utilization: Diagnostic Efficacy and Radiation Safety in A Retrospective Audit”.Acta Scientific Medical Sciences 9.12 (2025): 82-89.

Copyright

Copyright: © 2025 Daniyal Ahmed., et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.