Imaging and clinical features of intra-abdominal injuries in children with suspected physical abuse.

The effective diagnosis and management of inflicted intra-abdominal injuries require a comprehensive, collaborative evaluation that includes a thorough understanding of the clinical presentation, laboratory findings, injury mechanisms, and potential clinical outcomes. This review presents the various aspects of inflicted intra-abdominal injuries, including the clinical presentation, mechanisms of injury, and the utility of available screening and imaging tools. The specific types of solid organ and hollow viscus injuries relevant to child physical abuse and their imaging appearance are also discussed. Radiological imaging provides critical information that can help treating providers contextualize the history obtained and the injuries identified, highlighting the value of close collaboration among radiologists, child abuse pediatricians, and other members of the clinical team when concerns for abuse arise.