ArticlePediatric radiology2020
Characteristics of rib fractures in young abused children.
Article in Pediatric radiology, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 9 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
9 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 20 citations in OpenAlex.
- ESR Essentials: imaging of suspected child abuse-practice recommendations by the European Society of Paediatric Radiology.European radiology · 2025Guideline
- Outcomes of anterior versus posterior rib fractures and surgical treatment: analysis of 249 patients.World journal of emergency surgery : WJES · 2026Article
- Editorial on Asymptomatic Rib Fractures and Their Relationship to Child Abuse.Children (Basel, Switzerland) · 2024Article
- Cough-induced rib fractures: A comprehensive analysis of 90 patients in a single center.Turk gogus kalp damar cerrahisi dergisi · 2024Article
- Deep learning-based prediction of rib fracture presence in frontal radiographs of children under two years of age: a proof-of-concept study.The British journal of radiology · 2023Article
- A Multispecialty Approach to the Identification and Diagnosis of Nonaccidental Trauma in Children.Cureus · 2022Review
- Predictors of Physical Abuse in Elder Patients With Fracture.Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons. Global research & reviews · 2022Article
- Multi-modality imaging characteristics of costochondral fractures, a highly specific rib fracture for child abuse.Pediatric radiology · 2022Article
- Prevalence and distribution of occult fractures on skeletal surveys in children with suspected non-accidental trauma imaged or reviewed in a tertiary Dutch hospital.Pediatric surgery international · 2020Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
5 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundThe presumed mechanism of rib fractures in abuse is violent grasping of the torso causing anterior-posterior chest compression. We hypothesized an asymmetrical distribution of rib fractures in abused infants given the greater incidence of right-hand dominance within the general population.
objectiveThe objective of this study was to characterize rib fractures in abused children, particularly sidedness; additionally, we evaluated the sidedness of other abusive skeletal fractures. MATERIALS AND
methodsWe reviewed medical records from abused children (0-18 months old) with rib fractures. We also retrospectively reviewed their radiographs to determine characteristics of rib fractures (number, side, rib region, level, acuity) and other skeletal fractures (number, side, location), as well as differences in the distribution of rib and other skeletal fractures.
resultsA total of 360 rib fractures were identified on 273 individual ribs involving 78 abused children. Sixty-three children (81%) had multiple rib fractures. There was a significantly greater number of left-side rib fractures (67%) than right-side fractures (P<0.001). Fractures were most often identified in the posterior and lateral regions and mid level of the ribcage (Ribs 5 through 8). Fifty-four percent of subjects had other skeletal fractures; these non-rib fractures were also predominantly on the left side (P=0.006).
conclusionIn our study of abused children, there was a higher incidence of rib fractures in the posterior, lateral and mid-level locations. Additionally, we found a predominance of left-side rib and other skeletal fractures. Further research is needed to understand whether factors such as perpetrator handedness are associated with these unequal distributions of fractures in abused children.
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