We funded a research project investigating the use of ‘rib unfolding’ CT scans as a tool to help protect vulnerable children.
When children under two years old present with unexplained injuries, clinicians may be concerned about possible physical abuse. As very young children often cannot explain what happened, doctors typically request full skeletal X-rays to look for fractures. However, some fractures are not immediately visible and only become apparent during the healing process.
‘Rib unfolding’ is a tool that flattens all the ribs onto a single image and automatically numbers them. This can assist radiologists in identifying rib fractures more confidently and quickly. The research is assessing how effective this technique can be in improving the detection of injuries and supporting the protection of vulnerable children and young people.
