Acute head trauma : CT scanning study

Abstract EN

Background Head trauma now represents a major cause of death and disability among young otherwise healthy people, and it is claimed that it is more common than ever.

Radiographs are now replaced by CT scanning as the primary method of assessing head trauma, but MRI might be needed too.

Aim It is to evaluate the role of CT scanning in cases of acute head trauma of different severity.

Patients A retrospective study has been carried out of 50 cases of acute head trauma with positive CT scanning referred to Azadi Teaching Hospital in Duhok city from March 2003 through December 2005.

Results All the intracranial sequelae of acute head trauma are documented and analyzed, where the males are found to be involved in 78% of the cases, and in up to 60% of the cases the victims are in the first three decades of life, RTA-the main cause shows a dramatic increase compared with other studies.

Fractures are present in the majority of the cases indicating a significant trauma, moreover, more than one sequelae can be detected in many cases.

A localized brain oedema, contusions, and intracerebral hematomas are the most commonly found sequelae, while other sequalae such as subarachnoid hematomas, subdural hematomas, and epidural hematomas are encountered less.

Diffuse brain swelling as has been declared in other studies is more common among children.

Conclusion CT scanning remains the first diagnostic imaging tool to detect the different intracranial post-traumatic lesions of acute head trauma, many of which are life-threatening, on the other hand, MRI is spared for full assessment of head trauma, and for follow up too.