Materials and Methods: This retrospective study included 15 pediatric patients who received chest computed tomography, out of 165 consecutive high-energy pediatric trauma patients admitted to our pediatric emergency department within one year. 15 Patients were divided into two groups. Normal tomography findings (Group I; n = 8) and revealing thoracic pathology (Group II; n = 7). The groups were compared in terms of age, gender, weight, type of trauma, fever, pulse and respiratory rate per minute, systolic blood pressure, peripheral blood oxygen saturation and biochemical parameters. Glasgow Coma Scale, Pediatric Trauma Score, Modified Trauma score, and Injury Severity Score were also calculated and evaluated.

Results: There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups in terms of age, gender, weight, type of trauma, fever, respiratory rate, systolic blood pressure, and pulse rate (p > 0.05), whereas a statistically significant difference was determined between two groups with respect to peripheral blood oxygen saturation (p = 0.013), white blood cell count (p = 0.008), blood glucose (p = 0.003), alanine transaminase (p = 0.033), and aspartate transaminase (p = 0.012). When the trauma scores were evaluated; Glasgow Coma Score (p < 0.001), Pediatric Trauma Score (p = 0.002), and Modified Trauma Score (p < 0.001) were found to be statistically low in the second group while Injury Severity Score (p = 0.001) was higher.

Conclusions: Peripheral blood oxygen saturation, white blood cell count, blood glucose, alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, and Glasgow Coma Score, Pediatric Trauma Score, Modified Trauma Score, Injury Severity Score shall be predictive parameters for a thoracic pathology and need for chest computed tomography. Keywords : pediatric blunt thoracic trauma, computerized chest tomography, predictive parameter