Prevalence of abnormal CT-scans following mild head injury

Abstract

Primary objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the prevalence of day-of-injury intracranial abnormalities in a large sample of patients with mild head injuries who were admitted to a Trauma Service. Methods and procedures: There were 912 patients who obtained admission Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) scores of 13-15. Main outcomes and results: The base rate of complicated mild head injuries (i.e. abnormal CT scans) in this sample was 15.8%. However, nearly 25% of the sample, most of whom had very mild injuries, did not receive CT-scans. Therefore, the actual prevalence is more likely in the range 16-21%. There was a tremendous overlap in injury characteristics between patients with complicated and uncomplicated mild head injuries. None the less, there were modest, yet statistically significant, relationships between the presence of intracranial abnormalities and lower GCS scores, greater frequency of positive loss of consciousness, greater frequency of skull fractures, and lower GOAT scores.