FREQUENCY OF CT FINDINGS IN PATIENTS WITH MINOR HEAD INJURIES

QUA IHSAN; KA KHAN

doi:10.54112/bcsrj.v2024i1.1226

Authors

QUA IHSAN Department Of Radiology, Burns and Plastic Surgery Centre MTI Hayatabad Peshawar, Pakistan
KA KHAN Type D hospital Lundkhwar, Mardan, Pakistan

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.54112/bcsrj.v2024i1.1226

Keywords:

Minor head injury, CT scan, subgaleal hematoma, subdural hematoma, Glasgow Coma Scale, intracranial pathology

Abstract

Minor head injuries are a common occurrence in emergency departments, often resulting from road traffic accidents, falls, and other blunt trauma incidents. While patients with a Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score of 13 to 15 are generally considered to have minor injuries, computed tomography (CT) imaging plays a crucial role in identifying potential intracranial complications that may not be evident clinically. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the computed tomography (CT) findings in patients presenting with minor head injuries to determine the prevalence of intracranial complications. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted involving 86 patients presenting with minor head injuries at a tertiary care hospital. Minor head injuries were defined as having a Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score of 13 to 15. Patients with polytrauma, previous neurosurgery, or severe critical conditions were excluded. Clinical assessments included demographic information, injury mechanisms, and symptoms such as loss of consciousness, vomiting, headaches, and post-trauma seizures. All patients underwent CT scans, which were interpreted by radiologists blinded to clinical data. CT findings were categorized, and statistical analysis was performed to evaluate the prevalence of different intracranial injuries. Results: The mean age of the study participants was 40.27 years, with a male predominance (61.6%). Road traffic accidents were the most common cause of injury (44.2%), followed by falls (37.2%). CT scans revealed that 31.4% of patients had subgaleal hematomas, 11.6% had subdural hematomas, 8.1% had skull fractures, and 5.8% had brain contusions. Notably, 43% of the patients presented with normal CT findings, indicating the absence of acute complications. Conclusion: Although a substantial number of patients with minor head injuries had normal CT findings, the detection of significant intracranial conditions such as subgaleal and subdural hematomas emphasizes the importance of routine imaging in this patient population. Early detection through CT imaging is essential in guiding clinical management and preventing potential complications in patients with minor head injuries.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Jiang J-Y, Gao G-Y, Feng J-F, Mao Q, Chen L-G, Yang X-F, et al. Traumatic brain injury in China. The Lancet Neurology. 2019;18(3):286-95.

Ownbey MR, Pekari TB. Acute Mild Traumatic Brain Injury Assessment and Management in the Austere Setting—A Review. Military medicine. 2022;187(1-2):e47-e51.

Mani K, Cater B, Hudlikar A. Cognition and return to work after mild/moderate traumatic brain injury: A systematic review. Work. 2017;58(1):51-62.

Masel BE, DeWitt DS, Levin H, Shum D, Chan R. Traumatic brain injury disease: long-term consequences of traumatic brain injury. Understanding traumatic brain injury: Current research and future directions. 2014;28.

Rutland-Brown W, Langlois JA, Thomas KE, Xi YL. Incidence of traumatic brain injury in the United States, 2003. The Journal of head trauma rehabilitation. 2006;21(6):544-8.

Bouida W, Marghli S, Souissi S, Ksibi H, Methammem M, Haguiga H, et al. Prediction value of the Canadian CT head rule and the New Orleans criteria for positive head CT scan and acute neurosurgical procedures in minor head trauma: a multicenter external validation study. Annals of emergency medicine. 2013;61(5):521-7.

Burstein B, Upton JE, Terra HF, Neuman MI. Use of CT for head trauma: 2007–2015. Pediatrics. 2018;142(4).

Stanley RM, Hoyle Jr JD, Dayan PS, Atabaki S, Lee L, Lillis K, et al. Emergency department practice variation in computed tomography use for children with minor blunt head trauma. The Journal of pediatrics. 2014;165(6):1201-6. e2.

Melnick ER, Shafer K, Rodulfo N, Shi J, Hess EP, Wears RL, et al. Understanding overuse of computed tomography for minor head injury in the emergency department: a triangulated qualitative study. Academic Emergency Medicine. 2015;22(12):1474-83.

Bordignon KC, Arruda WO. CT scan findings in mild head trauma: a series of 2,000 patients. Arquivos de neuro-psiquiatria. 2002;60:204-10.

AHMAD I, RAZA MH, ABDULLAH A, SAEED S. Intracranial CT Scan Findings in the Patients of Head Injury: An Early Experience at Dera Ghazi Khan Teaching Hospital. Pakistan Journal Of Neurological Surgery. 2020;24(3):248–52-–52.

Jamali K, Asadi AH. Evaluation Of Ct Scan Results In Patients With Minor Head Trauma Based Its Indications And Final Clinical Results In Patients Referred To Emergency Department Of Namazi Hospital In 2016. International Journal of Medical Investigation. 2018;7(1):49-55.