In children less than 3 years of age, do not perform X-rays of the nasal bones if a fracture is suspected.

Type of practice

Imaging

Topic Area

Medical Radiology

Although nasal fractures represent about half of facial fractures in paediatric age, the frequency is much lower in children under 3 years of age, in whom the cartilage component of the nasal skeleton prevails (with poor development of the cortical bone component) and there is reduced emergence from the facial profile of the nasal pyramid. In trauma the septum is mainly injured, fractured longitudinally in the anterior portion or displaced, as is common in neonatal fractures. The diagnosis is clinical while the evaluation with an X-ray is not very reliable due to the absence or incomplete ossification and the prevalence of cartilage and soft tissues, with paranasal sinuses that are often small and poorly pneumatized. Unnecessary X-rays expose patients to ionizing radiation, including high costs for society and environmental harm.
In recent years, ultrasound has been used as a complementary tool in cases of uncertain clinical presentation, showing a high negative predictive value for identifying nasal fractures in children. Although CT remains the optimal imaging method for detailed assessment, it is not used routinely due to factors such as radiation exposure and the need for cooperation or sedation in younger patients.

Sources

1. Alcalá-Galiano A, Arribas-García IJ, Martín-Pérez MA, et al. Pediatric Facial Fractures: Children Are Not Just Small Adults. RadioGraphics 2008; 28:441–61 doi: 10.1148/rg.282075060.
2. Ronis M, Veidere L, Marnauza D, et al. Nasal Bone Fractures in Children and Adolescents. Patient Demographics, Etiology of The Fracture and Evaluation of Plain Film Radiography as a Diagnostic Method in Children’s Clinical University Hospital. MMSE Journal 2016. doi:10.13140/RG.2.1.4639.4001.
3. Hahyun Y, Minseok J, Youngjun K, et al. Epidemiology of violence in pediatric and adolescent nasal fracture compared with adult nasal fracture: An 8-year study. Arch Craniofac Surg. 2019;20: 228–32. doi: 10.7181/acfs.2019.00346.
4. Hassankhani A, Amoukhteh M, Jannatdoust P, et al. Diagnostic utility of ultrasound in pediatric nasal bone fractures: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Emergency Radiology 2024; 31:417–28. doi: 10.1007/s10140-024-02225-1.
5. Noy R, Gvozdev N, Ilivitzki A, et al. Ultrasound for management of pediatric nasal fractures. Rhinology 2023;61:568-73. doi: 10.4193/Rhin23.176.

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