CT Findings of Firework Injuries to the Head and Neck

Abstract

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to review the CT imaging findings of injuries in the head and neck caused by fireworks through a case series. Methods: The imaging database from the University of Chicago Medicine was searched with “fireworks,” “firecrackers,” and “mortar” as keywords and CT as the imaging modality. Cases without acute CT findings or initial CT scans were excluded. Results: Eighteen cases with acute CT findings of head and neck firework injuries were identified and included. The associated injuries included skull fractures (5, 28%), ocular injuries (7, 39%), soft tissue trauma (18, 100%), retained foreign bodies (8, 44%), and intracranial trauma (2, 11%). Conclusions: Fireworks can cause injuries of varying severity in the head and neck, including blunt and penetrating trauma, that warrant CT evaluation.