How are fractures in children diagnosed? Your child’s doctor
will closely examine the injured area for tenderness, redness
and swelling and will order diagnostic imaging tests. Diagnostic
tests may include: X-ray: X-ray imaging uses invisible
electromagnetic energy beams to produce images of internal
tissues, bones and organs onto film; it is usually sufficient
for diagnosing the majority of fractures. - Magnetic resonance
imaging (MRI): Some fractures (such as stress fractures) don't
show up on an x-ray until a few weeks after the bone starts
hurting. An MRI is a diagnostic procedure that uses a
combination of large magnets, radiofrequencies and a computer to
produce detailed images of organs and structures within the
body. These types of tests are more sensitive than x-rays and
can pick up smaller fractures before they get worse. - Bone
scan: A bone scan is another type ofnon-invasive imaging
technique that uses a radioactive substance to visualize the
bones. - Computed tomography scan (CT, CAT scan): A CT