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Indications for computed tomography in patients with mild head injuries

BACKGROUND: To identify clinical parameters that may be associated with intracranial lesions in patients with mild head injuries, Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) scores of 15 but without any focal neurological deficit. METHODS: All head trauma patients admitted to the emergency room within 3 months with GCS scores of 15 (n = 371) were evaluated. Patients with focal neurological deficits, penetrating or multiple traumas, gun shot wounds were not evaluated. RESULTS: Mean age of 222 male and 149 female patients was 22.4 years. Frequency of intracranial lesions detected in CT was higher in patients older than 60 years of age. A significant difference was not found between both genders. Detection rate of abnormalities was higher after motorway accidents. Loss of consciousness and post-traumatic fits were associated with higher rates of pathological sequelae. A significant difference was not found between patients with or without headache, nausea, and vomiting. Sensitivity and specificity of cranial x-ray were estimated to be 38.2% and 93.2% when compared with cranial CT respectively. CONCLUSION: The incidence of intracranial lesions in patients with mild head injuries, GCS scores of 15, younger than 60 years of age, and without any focal neurological deficits, loss of consciousness, post-traumatic fits, gun shot wound, and penetrating injury is 0.6%.