Diagnosis of blunt thoracic aortic injury with electrocardiogram-gated computed tomography in pediatric patient: A case report.

Computed tomography (CT) is a sensitive and specific test for thoracic aortic injury, and is the choice of diagnostic test for adult patients. However, the diagnostic accuracy of conventional CT in pediatric patients has not been elucidated, and the diagnostic strategy has not been clarified. We present the case of an eight-year-old patient who had a thoracic injury, with left open pneumothorax, pulmonary contusion, and multiple left-sided rib fractures. Although the findings on conventional CT were insufficient either to diagnose or deny as having thoracic aortic injury, additional examination using electrocardiogram-gated CT angiography and three-dimensional reconstruction revealed a localized enlarged aortic diameter with an intimal flap. Electrocardiogram-gated CT may be useful for diagnosing thoracic aortic injury in pediatric patients.